Kinshasa and its surrounding area form a special political unit that is equivalent in status to the country's ten administrative regions. The Kinshasa region has an area of 9,965 sq km (3,848 sq mi), although the city proper is considerably smaller. The city center is dominated by the wide Boulevard du 30 Juin (“June 30 Boulevard”—June 30 is the country's independence day), which runs from the railroad station and ferry terminal in the northeast to the western suburbs. On the eastern end of the boulevard are the city's major offices, banks, and shops. South of this area is the Cité, a residential quarter that is also known for its sprawling Marché Central (French for “Central Market”) and the vibrant nightlife of its Matonge district. Overcrowded and laced with muddy alleys, the Cité is home to more than half of Kinshasa's residents. In the Ndjili suburb south of the Cité is the city's international airport and the 150-m (490-ft) high Monument to the Martyrs of Independence, an impressive structure of four concrete cylinders topped by television towers. Between the airport and railroad station are the Ndolo and Limété neighborhoods, where residential areas and industrial zones are separated by the railroad.
On the western end of the central boulevard is Gombe, a plush residential area where the Congolese parliament and high court and most foreign embassies are located. The National Museum of Kinshasa, the Academy of Fine Arts, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Notre Dame are located just southeast of Gombe. Also west of the city center, clustered around Mount Ngaliéma, is the Cité de l'OUA, a suburb built for the 1967 Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit. The president's palace and some government offices are located here. Immediately west of Mount Ngaliéma, in the western hills overlooking the city, is the exclusive Binza residential district. West of Binza is the Ile des Mimosas (Isle of Mimosas), located above scenic rapids in the Congo River.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Kinshasa Information info
|
