 Discover Kinshasa, the most developed mega-city in Central Africa. Kinshasa is the main city and capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was previously known as Leopoldville until 1966. On the south bank of the Congo River, it is roughly 515 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean. It is a distinct governmental unit equal to a Congolese region, with its own governor, and is one of the largest cities in sub-Saharan Africa. The residents of the city are known as Kinwa. Kinshasa is not only the capital, but also the epicenter of the country's character in modern Africa, with its dynamic and contradictory influences. It was the seat of a long-running Zaren military government based on the one hand, on the might of the armed forces, and on the other, on a style of political and social compromise that garnered the grudging cooperation of most inhabitants until its later years. Most Kinwa must spend a significant amount of time scavenging for basics that are an inconsistent supply, as they are caught between extraordinary prosperity and huge poverty. Nonetheless, they have discovered a way to make Kinshasa a wellspring of distinct intellectual and popular culture that is felt across Africa. As we travel into Kinshasa, fasten your seatbelt. Please subscribe to Africa Reloaded so you may join us on this journey. Landscape City and climate Kinshasa stretches southward from a Congo River's Malibu pool, which is an expansion of the river. The city is located on a plane that rises between 280 and 350 meters above sea level and is partially surrounded by higher hills. Kassava, sugarcane, oil palms, plantains, maize, ground nuts, and beans are the main crops grown in the adjacent savanna and gallery forest. The weather is hot all year, with a dry season running from May to September and the rainy season running from October to maybe average annual rainfall is just over 1,520 millimeters. Violent rainstorms are common, but they rarely persist more than a few hours. April is the hottest month, with daily maximum and minimum temperatures of 32 degrees Celsius and 22 degrees Celsius respectively. July, the coolest month, has temperatures of 27 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius. The suburbs are slightly cooler than the city center. The People Kinshasa's population rose slowly at first from 5,000 in 1889 to 23,000 in 1923, but quickly after 1940, from 1950 it quadrupled every 5 years and by the beginning of the 21st century it was reaching 5 million with a large number of people living in squatter zones. Much of the population growth has been caused by Congolese migration and government expansion, but some of it has also been caused by the city's expansion. Kinshasa is a city with a young population. More over half of a population is under the age of 22 and just a small percentage of a population is above 50. Economy of Kinshasa, Industry and Commerce Kinshasa is the republic's most important consumer center as well as its industrial and economic hub. The city is home to large public corporations as well as privately owned industrial and commercial enterprises. It is the center of the republic's financial and commercial life and it houses the headquarters of the major banks. Food processing and consumer products production, primarily for domestic markets, are among Kinshasa's key industries. The city's economy is bolstered by construction and a variety of service businesses. The city's commercial activity has been hampered by the political turbulence that has engulfed the country since the fall of the Xehran regime in 1997. Kinshasa's rapid population growth has posed severe challenges in supplying the city with food. There is a constant possibility of shortages, posing an implied political concern as well. Since the late 1990s, the issue has been compounded by the country's economic troubles. Transportation In many ways, Kinshasa's transportation system is inadequate. Economic concerns and a lack of foreign cash have wreaked havoc, necessitating the constant procurement of spare components and replacement vehicles. Roads in Kinshasa are well developed, but the city's dense and fast growing population generate significant traffic congestion. A paved road connects the city to Matati, Congo's main port, and the head of navigation on the Congo estuary, as well as Kikwit, to the east. Most of the country's imports are brought in through the railway line from Matati, which avoids the rapids on the river below Kinshasa. Some are then transported upriver. The Congo is navigable upstream to Kisingani and a large network of navigable links on its tributaries, linked by railways. Transports practically all in Lincargo headed from Matati down to Congo and through Kinshasa's port to the southeast, Injuli International Airport is one of Africa's busiest airports. Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo's capital, are connected by a bustling ferry across Malibu Pool. The transportation in Kinshasa comprises of packed buses, minibuses, taxis, and filipila. Government Administration Kinshasa continues to be the center of a nation's political life, as it is where all important administrative decisions are made. The president's office, as well as the executive and legislative councils, are all located in the city. Since 1982, the president has nominated a governor and two vice governors to lead the city administration. They are the leader of the city council, which is made up of the 24 zone commissioners, who are also appointed by the president from among the councilors elected in each stone. The administration is unable to provide essential services across the city, such as running water, power, and sanitation. Zone planning and building control agencies have struggled to keep up with the city's fast growth, leaving parts of it without fundamental urban infrastructure. Some locations have deteriorated home lots and streets, as well as choked open drains and rubbish accumulation. With the breakdown of central control under the successor administration, the rate of violent crime, which was comparatively low during Zaren rule, has grown. Healthcare and Education Population increase has put a strain on medical facilities as well as other local services. The number of hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries in the public health system is insufficient and unevenly distributed, which, combined with transportation issues, limits the amount of healthcare that can be provided to the general populace. Similarly, the basic and secondary school systems are overburdened, with insufficient facilities and teachers to keep up with population expansion. The University of Kinshasa, previously Lavinium University, the country's main university, a teacher training college, a national school of administration and law, a school of telecommunications, and an academy of fine arts are among the country's higher education institutions. There are also social research institutes, political party indoctrination institutes, medical training institutes, and commerce institutes. The School of Catholic Theology in Kinshasa is well known around the world, cultural life. Kinshasa is the vibrant heart of the country's popular culture, with Lingala serving as the urban lingua franca. Congo's popular music is well known throughout Africa, and well-known Congolese bands also tour Europe and the Americas. Celebrities in the music industry attract a lot of attention, and it's not uncommon for their most recent hit songs to be utilized to designate fashion trends and women's dress materials, a fiercely competitive medium. Paintings sold on streets, like popular music, depict the social themes of the day. The general public has access to daily newspapers and a variety of magazines. Television is an important means of official communication, broadcasting news, speeches, animation, popular bands, and occasionally old European films. The official language is French, but local languages are also transmitted on radio and television. The city is home to a number of superb restaurants, as well as various nightclubs and movie theaters. These are some of the data that support the claim that Kinshasa is Central Africa's most developed megacity. Despite having a number of problems in terms of government administration and economic growth, Kinshasa has managed to outperform a number of other Central African countries. If you enjoyed the video, please like, share, subscribe, and turn on the Notify button to receive notifications of new videos from Africa Reloaded.