Bandundu Province

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Province du Bandundu

Image:None Image:None (Provincial flag) (Provincial Seal)
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Capital	Bandundu
Largest city	Kikwit
National language	Kikongo, Lingala
Land area¹	295.658 km²
Governor	Richard Ndambu Wolang
Population Density	5.201.000 (est. 1998) 17,59/km²
Districts	4
Cities	2
Demonym	{{{demonym}}}
Official Website	[ Province du Bandundu]
Territorial Organisation - Cities

Bandundu is a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders Kinshasa and Bas-Congo to the west, Equateur to the north, and Kasai-Occidental to the east. The provincial capital is also called Bandundu (formerly Banningville).

In 1966, Bandundu was formed by merging the three post-colonial political regions: Kwilu, Kwango, and Mai-Ndombe. Following the 2006 Constitution, the three regions will be restored as provinces.

[edit] Principal cities

• Bandundu (capital)
• Kikwit

[edit] Principal languages

Two main trade languages are spoken in the Bandundu Province: Lingala, spoken north of the Kasai River, and Kituba (also called Kikongo ya Leta) spoken south of the river. These languages have become so commonplace that many have grown up using them as their first language. There are also many local dialects.

[edit] Major bodies of water

• Kasai River
• Kwango River
• Kwenge River
• Kwilu River
• Lukenie River
• Lake Mai-Ndombe

v • d • e Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
2006 Constitution	Bas-Uele · Équateur · Haut-Lomami · Haut-Katanga · Haut-Uele · Ituri · Kasaï · Kasaï oriental · Kongo central · Kwango · Kwilu · Lomami · Lualaba · Lulua · Mai-Ndombe · Maniema · Mongala  · Nord-Kivu · Nord-Ubangi · Sankuru · Sud-Kivu · Sud-Ubangi · Tanganyika · Tshopo · Tshuapa · Kinshasa
Pre-2006	Bandundu · Bas-Congo · Équateur · Kasai-Occidental · Kasai-Oriental · Katanga · Kinshasa · Maniema · Nord-Kivu · Orientale · Sud-Kivu