Mai-Ndombe Province

Mai-Ndombe
Province du Mai-Ndombe (French)
Lake Maï Ndombe
Official seal of Mai-Ndombe
Location of Mai-Ndombe
Coordinates: 01°57′S 18°16′E / 1.950°S 18.267°E / -1.950; 18.267
Country DR Congo
Established2015 (2015)
Named afterLake Maï Ndombe
CapitalInongo
Government
 • GovernorLebon Nkoso Kevani[1]
Area
 • Total
127,465 km2 (49,215 sq mi)
Population
 (2024 est.)
 • Total
2,291,000
 • Density17.97/km2 (46.55/sq mi)
Ethnic groups
 • NativeBateke • Anamongo • Batwa • Basakata • Baboma • Bayanzi • Basengele • Babolia
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)
ISO 3166 codeCD-MN
License Plate CodeDemocratic Republic of the Congo CGO / 16
Official languageFrench

Mai-Ndombe is one of the 21 newest provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning when the former Bandundu province was split-up into the new provinces of Mai-Ndombe, Kwango, and Kwilu.[2] Mai-Ndombe was formed from the Plateaux and Mai-Ndombe districts, with the town of Inongo being elevated to the capital city of the new province.

The 2024 population was estimated to be 2,291,000.[3]

Geography

Map of Mai-Ndombe showing tree-cover loss years, with forest remaining since 2000 in green and loss years shaded yellow through purple.
Tree-cover loss year in Mai-Ndombe, 2001-2024, from the Global Forest Change dataset.

Mai-Ndombe is located in the western Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has an international border with the Republic of the Congo to the west, and borders with several other provinces: Équateur and Tshuapa to the north, Kasaï to the east, and Kwilu and Kinshasa to the south. Most of the province has a tropical savanna climate by the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, except for the northeast, which has areas with a tropical monsoon climate or a tropical rainforest climate.[4]

Administrative divisions

The province is divided in to eight territories and one independently administered city.

Administrative division Type Map
InongoCityInongo
BoloboTerritoryBolobo
InongoTerritoryInongo
KiriTerritoryKiri
KutuTerritoryKutu
KwamouthTerritoryKwamouth
MushieTerritoryMushie
OshweTerritoryOshwe
YumbiTerritoryYumbi

History

Mai-Ndombe Province was a separate province from 1962 to 1966, prior the creation of Bandundu Province from the post-colonial political regions of Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe. Presidents (from 1965, governors) were:

  • 8 Sep 1962 – Dec 1963 Victor Kumoriko
  • 23 Sep 1963 – 11 Oct 1963 V. Bola (in rebellion)
  • Jan 1964 – Dec 1964 Gabriël Zangabie
    • 1964 – 1965 ...
  • 27 Jul 1965 – 25 Apr 1966 Daniël Mongiya

A large river boat sank in the province in 2021, killing at least 60 people.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Mesa, Jonathan (7 August 2024). "Mai-Ndombe: le gouverneur Nkoso Kevani hérite de 549 millions de FC dans le compte de la province et projette la dépolitisation de l'administration". Actualite.cd (in French). Bandundu. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  2. ↑ "RDC: démembrement effectif du Bandundu". Radio Okapi (in French). 19 July 2015. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. ↑ "Congo (Dem. Rep.): Provinces, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
  4. ↑ "Congo, Dem. Rep. - Country Overview". Climate Knowledge Portal. World Bank. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Congo River: At least 60 drowned after boat capsizes". BBC News. 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2021-02-17.