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Quick answerKinshasa is the capital and largest city of Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 18,552,800 people inside the city limits in 2021. The wider metropolitan area had about 17.8 million people in 2021. It is best known for the Largest French-speaking city in the world. Its official language is French, and its currency is the Congolese franc.
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with about 18.6 million people in the city-province (2021). It stands on the Congo River in the west of the country, facing Brazzaville across the water, and is the largest French-speaking city in the world.
Key facts
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 18,552,800 (2021) |
| Population (metro) | 17,778,500 (2021) · Kinshasa metropolitan area |
| Elevation | 240 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Kinshasa |
| Language | French |
| Currency | Congolese franc (CDF, FC) |
| Coordinates | 4.32194° S, 15.31194° E |
Overview
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southern bank of the Congo River at Pool Malebo, in the west of the country. The city-province covers 9,965 square kilometres and had 18,552,800 residents in 2021, while the metropolitan area held 17,778,500 people. It sits about 240 metres above sea level, and across the river lies Brazzaville, capital of the neighbouring Republic of the Congo — the closest pair of capital cities in the world.
Kinshasa was founded as a trading post by Henry Morton Stanley in 1881 and named Léopoldville, after King Leopold II of Belgium. It became the capital of the Belgian Congo in 1923 and was renamed Kinshasa in 1966. Its landmarks include the People's Palace, the Palace of the Nation, the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Kinshasa Financial Center, and the city was named a UNESCO City of Music in 2015.
Today Kinshasa is the political, economic and cultural centre of the DRC and the largest French-speaking urban area in the world. French is the language of government and business, while Lingala is the everyday language of the streets. The city is famous for Congolese rumba and soukous music, for its markets and street life, and for N'Djili International Airport, the busiest in the country.
What Kinshasa is known for
- Largest French-speaking city in the world
- Congolese rumba music
- Pool Malebo and the Congo River
- National Museum of the DRC
- UNESCO City of Music
- Nsele Valley Park
Landmarks
- People's Palace
- Palace of the Nation
- National Museum of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Kinshasa Financial Center
- Nsele Valley Park
- St. Anne's Church
- Académie des Beaux-Arts
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kinshasa?
About 18.6 million people live in Kinshasa (18,552,800 in the city-province in 2021). The metropolitan area had about 17.8 million people. That makes Kinshasa the largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the third-largest city in Africa, and the largest French-speaking city in the world.
What is Kinshasa famous for?
Kinshasa is famous as the largest French-speaking city in the world and the home of Congolese rumba and soukous music. It is known for the People's Palace and the National Museum, for its markets and street life, and for facing Brazzaville across the Congo River, the closest pair of capitals in the world.
Where is Kinshasa located?
Kinshasa is in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southern bank of the Congo River at Pool Malebo. It is the capital of the country and its main river port, facing Brazzaville across the water. Its coordinates are 4.32° S, 15.31° E, and its time zone is West Africa Time.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Democratic Republic of the Congo — the country Kinshasa is in
- Mbuji-Mayi — another city in Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Lubumbashi — another city in Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Kananga — another city in Democratic Republic of the Congo
- All cities in Democratic Republic of the Congo
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.