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Kinshasa Facts & Worksheets

Known as the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa is located near the Congo River.

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Known as the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa is located near the Congo River. Kinshasa is also the third largest urban area in Africa.

See the fact file below for more information on the Kinshasa or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Kinshasa worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • Kinshasa’s former name was Léopoldville, in honor of King Leopold II of the Belgians who controlled the Congo Free State, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • All goods arriving in the country by sea had to be carried by porters between Léopoldville and Matadi.
  • In 1898, the Matadi-Kinshasa portage railway was completed, which provided an alternative route for porters and goods.
  • In 1914, a pipeline was installed for crude oil to be transported from Matadi to the upriver steamers in Léopoldville.
  • On June 30, 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo gained its independence and elected its first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba.
  • In 1965, Joseph-Désiré Mobutu acquired power in the Congo from Lumumba, with the help of the US and Belgium.
  • In 1966, Léopoldville was officially renamed Kinshasa.
  • An rebel uprising began in the 1990s which brought down the regime of Mobutu by 1997. Mobutu’s regime heavily affected Kinshasa due to mass corruption, nepotism, and the civil war.

GEOGRAPHY

  • Kinshasa is located along the south bank of the Congo River, downstream on the Pool Malebo, and directly opposite Brazzaville, the capital city of the Republic of the Congo.
  • Kinshasa’s older and wealthier part is also known as ville basse and is located on a flat area of alluvial sand and clay near the river.
  • Kinshasa is a city-province, and is considered as one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Kinshasa is divided into 24 communes or municipalities.
  • The 24 communes are grouped into four districts: Funa, Lukunga, Mont Amba, and Tshangu.
  • Funa has 7 communes: Bandalungwa, Bumbu, Kalamu, Kasa-Vubu, Makala, Ngiri-Ngiri, and Selembao.
  • Lukunga has 7 communes: Barumbu, Gombe, Kinshasa, Kintambo, Lingwala, Mont Ngafula, and Ngaliema.
  • Mont Amba has 5 communes: Kisenso, Lemba, Limete, Matete, and Ngaba.
  • Tshangu has 5 communes: Kimbanseke, Maluku, Masina, Ndjili, and Nsele.
  • Kinshasa has a tropical wet and dry climate.

ECONOMY AND EDUCATION

  • Manufacturing companies like Marsavco S.A., All Pack Industries, and Angel Cosmetics can be found in Kinshasa, specifically in the center of the town, also known as Gombe.
  • Several higher-level education institutes can be found in Kinshasa, covering specialties from civil engineering to nursing and journalism.
  • Some of the universities or schools that can be found in Kinshasa are the Académie de Design, Institut Supérieur d’Architecture et Urbanisme, and Université Panafricaine du Congo.

CULTURE

  • The official language of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is French.
  • Some other languages spoken in Kinshasa are Kikongo, Lingala, Tshiluba, and Swahili, which are considered as Congolese languages.
  • The word mikiliste is used to describe a fashionable person from Congo who has money and has traveled to Europe.
  • Football and martial arts are popular sports in Kinshasa.
  • Dojos are popular in Kinshasa and the owners are usually influential.
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national stadium, the Stade des Martyrs, is in Kinshasa.

INFRASTRUCTURE

  • The National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Musée national de la République démocratique du Congo can be found in Kinshasa. This museum houses the cultural history of the numerous ethnic groups and historical epochs of the country.
  • Kinshasa also houses the Kinshasa Fine Arts Academy.
  • Kinshasa also has several places of worship, some of which are the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kinshasa (Catholic Church), Kimbanguist Church, Baptist Community of Congo (Baptist World Alliance), Baptist Community of the Congo River (Baptist World Alliance), Assemblies of God, Province of the Anglican Church of the Congo (Anglican Communion), and Presbyterian Community in Congo (World Communion of Reformed Churches).
  • Kinshasa also has some Muslim mosques.
  • Kinshasa is also home to the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Some of the government establishments that can be found in Kinshasa are the Palais de la Nation, home of the President, and the Palais du Peuple, the meeting place of the houses of Parliament, Senate, and National Assembly.
  • The Central Bank of the Congo can also be found in Kinshasa, on Boulevard Colonel Tshatshi.
  • Kinshasa has two airports: N’djili Airport, which is considered as the main airport that connects Kinshasa to other countries in Africa, Istanbul, Brussels, Paris, and to some other destinations, and N’Dolo Airport, which is used for domestic flights only.

Kinshasa Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Kinshasa across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Kinshasa worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa which is located near the Congo River. Kinshasa is also the third largest urban area in Africa.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Kinshasa Facts
  • More on Kinshasa
  • Test Yourself!
  • History Time
  • Twinning
  • Label Them
  • Notables
  • Draw Lines
  • Word Hunt
  • The Congo River
  • Let’s Travel!

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Link will appear as Kinshasa Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 20, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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