Kinshasa Highway

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The Kinshasa Highway (in French l'Autoroute de Kinshasa) is a highway across Africa that passes through the countries of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for whose capital it is named.

1 History
2 Quality of paving
3 Other information
4 References

[edit] History

The route of the Kinshasa Highway had to be carved out from thick jungle. After it was paved, AIDS spread quickly, as carriers of the disease travelled along its length on board cars and trucks, from populated areas to more isolated rural areas. Prostitutes at truck stops helped spread the disease even faster.

However, the effects of the highway have not all been bad—it has allowed better access to medicine for the remote ethnic groups in the African interior.

It is also referred to as the AIDS Highway.

[edit] Quality of paving

When the highway was paved, in order to save money, the government of the DRC decided to only use one vehicle to seal the roads (see [1] for a picture); thus, only one vehicle width throughout much of the highway is paved, meaning that often cars will need to swerve sideways into mud to avoid oncoming traffic.

As a result of this dangerous rule, combined with the poor repair many vehicles in Africa are in, there are many crashes and deaths along the highway.

In some places, the paving has been almost destroyed, leaving long routes of mud.

[edit] Other information

Recently, a sophisticated power line system has been set up along the route of the Kinshasa Highway, to supply the DRC's large copper mining industry, which is a source of much of the country's income.

Parts of the highway under rebel control have become notorious for hijacking and other violence, but agreements in 2003 have meant that a frail peace is prevailing in most of the DRC.