Ilebo

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Ilebo
Ilebo (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Red pog.svg
Coordinates 4 ° 19 ′  S , 20 ° 36 ′  E Coordinates: 4 ° 19 ′  S , 20 ° 36 ′  E
Basic data
Country Democratic Republic of Congo

province

Kasaï
ISO 3166-2 CD-KS
Residents 107.093 (2010)

Ilebo , formerly known as Port-Francqui , is a town in the Kasaï Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is located at the highest navigable point of the Kasai River . It is a major transportation hub for ferries to Kinshasa and trains to Lubumbashi . The population was estimated at 67,721 for 2004.

history

Ilebo was founded in the 17th century as a trading center and residence for local rulers. The city flourished in the 19th century and was the largest settlement in central Congo before the arrival of the Belgians, with an estimated population of 5000 people. Ilebo was connected to other settlements by the river and several sandy roads that were open to porters. In 1901 the Belgian colonial administration renamed Ilebo Port-Francqui.

The city grew rapidly under Belgian colonial administration , especially after a railway line to Lubumbashi was opened. There were plans to extend the railway line to Kinshasa, and construction of a bridge over the Kasai began in 1935 but was stopped after the unfinished bridge collapsed on September 12, 1937. During World War II , the city grew massively due to the influx of workers into the local industry who made weapons for the war effort. After independence, the city was restored to its original name.

Infrastructure

The city has a small airport. A railway line from Kinshasa to Ilebo is being planned, which would connect the capital of the Congo with the east of the country. Construction was decided in 2007, but has not yet been implemented (as of 2019).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ilebo | Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved December 19, 2019 .
  2. ↑ HISTOIRE DU CONGO RDC DANS LA PRESSE . Kinshasa - Paris 1992.
  3. ^ DRC: Tshisekedi seeks investors for Kinshasa-Ilebo railway - 14/10/2019. October 14, 2019, accessed December 19, 2019 .
  4. ↑ 2007-10-07T03: 51: 00 + 01: 00: Chinese to plug Ilebo - Kinshasa gap in DR Congo. Retrieved December 19, 2019 .