Kasaï-Occidental (West Kasai in English) is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
[edit] Location
Kasaï-Occidental borders the provinces of Bandundu to the west, Équateur to the north, Kasai-Oriental to the east, and Katanga to the southeast. To the south it borders the country of Angola. The provincial capital is Kananga.[1] The province takes its name from the Kasai River, which flows through the Kasai district from south to north.
[edit] Languages
French is the official language. The Luba-Kasai language is spoken by about 6.3 million people in the Kasai region and is one of the four national languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
[edit] Divisions
The province is divided into the Kasaï and Lulua districts, with their headquarters in the towns of Luebo and Tshimbulu. Cities with independent administrations are Kananga in the Lulua district and Tshikapa in the Kasai district.[1] Cities and towns, with their 2010 populations, are:
| Name |
Pop. 2010[2] |
Coordinates[2] |
| Dekese |
3,241 |
3°27′S 21°24′E / 3.45°S 21.40°E / -3.45; 21.40 (Dekese) |
| Demba |
21,019 |
5°31′S 22°16′E / 5.51°S 22.26°E / -5.51; 22.26 (Demba) |
| Dibaya |
3,857 |
6°31′S 22°52′E / 6.51°S 22.87°E / -6.51; 22.87 (Dibaya) |
| Dimbelenge |
3,815 |
5°33′S 23°07′E / 5.55°S 23.12°E / -5.55; 23.12 (Dimbelenge) |
| Ilebo |
72,059 |
4°19′S 20°37′E / 4.32°S 20.61°E / -4.32; 20.61 (Ilebo) |
| Kabeya-Kamwanga |
30,027 |
6°16′S 22°38′E / 6.27°S 22.63°E / -6.27; 22.63 (Kabeya-Kamwanga) |
| Kananga |
967,007 |
5°53′S 22°24′E / 5.89°S 22.40°E / -5.89; 22.40 (Kananga) |
| Kazumba |
4,109 |
6°25′S 22°02′E / 6.42°S 22.03°E / -6.42; 22.03 (Kazumba) |
| Luebo |
29,167 |
5°21′S 21°25′E / 5.35°S 21.41°E / -5.35; 21.41 (Luebo) |
| Luiza |
15,259 |
7°12′S 22°25′E / 7.20°S 22.42°E / -7.20; 22.42 (Luiza) |
| Mankanza |
18,134 |
7°24′S 22°40′E / 7.40°S 22.67°E / -7.40; 22.67 (Mankanza) |
| Mweka |
55,155 |
4°50′S 21°34′E / 4.84°S 21.57°E / -4.84; 21.57 (Mweka) |
| Tshikapa |
524,293 |
6°25′S 20°46′E / 6.41°S 20.77°E / -6.41; 20.77 (Tshikapa) |
| Tshimbulu |
19,384 |
6°29′S 22°51′E / 6.48°S 22.85°E / -6.48; 22.85 (Tshimbulu) |
Under the 2006 constitution, Kasaï-Occidental was to have been divided into two provinces by 18 February 2009. Kasai District and the city of Tshikapa were to combine and become a new Kasai Province, and Lulua District would be combined with the city of Kananga to form the new Lulua Province.[3] As of October 2010, this had not taken place.[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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| Current provinces |
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| 1962-1966 |
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
