Kolwezi

Kolwezi is a city in Katanga Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Likasi. It is home to an airport and a railway to Lubumbashi. The population is approximately 418,000.

Contents

Economy

Kolwezi is an important mining centre for copper and cobalt. There are also uranium, radium, oxide ores, and lime deposits. The Musonoi mine is a set of open-cut pits near Kolwezi from which copper and other metals have been extracted since the 1940s.[2] The nearby Lake Nzilo was created by damming the Lualaba River to provide a source of hydroelectric power and a reservoir of water for the mining activities.[3][4]

History

The city was created in 1937 to be the headquarters for the western mining group of the High Katanga Mining Association (UMHK).

Main article: Battle of Kolwezi

On Saturday,13 May 1978, Ex - Katanges Soldiers supported by Angola, occupied the city. The government of Zaire asked Belgium, France, Morocco and the US to restore order. The 2e REP, an elite paratroopers unit of the French Foreign Legion, were sent in to drive out the rebels and rescue any hostages. The Belgian army also deployed a force of some 750 Paracommando Regiment paratroopers and moved out just over 1,800 Europeans to other cities in the region. 700 Africans, including 250 rebels,[5] 170 European hostages and 6 paratroopers died.

Near Kolwezi there is the static inverter plant of the HVDC Inga-Shaba.[6]

Climate

Climate data for Kolwezi
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 26
(79)		 27
(80)		 27
(80)		 27
(80)		 27
(80)		 25
(77)		 26
(79)		 28
(83)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 27
(80)		 26
(79)		 27.1
(80.8)
Average low °C (°F) 16
(60)		 16
(60)		 16
(60)		 15
(59)		 13
(56)		 11
(51)		 11
(51)		 13
(55)		 14
(58)		 16
(60)		 16
(60)		 16
(60)		 14.2
(58)
Precipitation mm (inches) 132
(5.2)		 165
(6.5)		 229
(9)		 66
(2.6)		 5
(0.2)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 5
(0.2)		 66
(2.6)		 259
(10.2)		 236
(9.3)		 1,163
(45.8)
Source: Weatherbase [7]

Transportation

Air

The Kolwezi Airport serves Kolwezi and the surrounding area. The airport is located about 6 km (4 mi) south of Kolwezi.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ Kolwezite Mineral Data
  2. ^ "Musonoi Mine, Kolwezi, Katanga Copper Crescent, Katanga (Shaba), Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaïre)". Mindat.org. http://www.mindat.org/loc-4322.html. Retrieved 2011-11-04. 
  3. ^ Davies, Bryan Robert; Walker, Keith F. (1986). The Ecology of river systems. Springer. p. 203. ISBN 9061935407. http://books.google.ca/books?id=zDjMyk4oDBkC&pg=PA203. 
  4. ^ KEITH E. BANISTER, ROLAND G. BAILEY (July 1979). "Fishes collected by the Zaire River Expedition, 1974-75". Zoological journaL of the Linnean Society 66: 205-249. http://mormyrids.lifedesks.org/files/mormyrids/banister__bailey_1979.pdf. Retrieved 2011-12-04. 
  5. ^ Général Gaussères. Les enseignements de Kolwezi - Mai 1978, in les Cahiers du Retex n° 12, supplément à Objectif doctrine 37 (published by Centre de doctrine de l'emploi des forces, Ministère de la Défense). On line : [1], 37-31
  6. ^ Dalarnas Tidningar - Ludvika
  7. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo". Weatherbase. 2011. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=82346&refer=wikipedia.  Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
  8. ^ "Distance and heading from Kolwezi to airport". WikiMapia. http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=-10.7294292&lon=25.4851913&z=13&l=0&m=b&gz=0;254865646;-107648457;211144;0;0;512710. Retrieved 18 Feb 2010. 

External links

Cities and communes
Lubumbashi (capital)
Communes: Annexe, Kamalondo, Kampemba, Katuba, Kenya, Lubumbashi, Ruashi
Kolwezi
Communes: Dilala, Manika
Likasi
Communes: Panda, Kikula, Likasi, Tshituru
Districts and territories
Kolwezi District
Territories: Lubudi, Mutshatsha
City of Kolwezi
(see above)
Lualaba District
Territories: Dilolo, Kapanga, Sandoa
Haut-Katanga District
Territories: Kambove, Kasenga, Kipushi, Mitwaba, Pweto, Sakania
Haut-Lomami District
Territories: Bukama, Kabongo, Kamina, Kaniama, Malemba-Nkulu
Tanganyika District
Territories: Kabalo, Kalemie, Kongolo, Manono, Moba, Nyunzu
Capitals of the proposed Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2005 Constitution)
Boende (Tshuapa) • Bukavu (Sud-Kivu) • Bunia (Ituri) • Buta (Bas-Uele) • Gbadolite (Nord-Ubangi) • Gemena (Sud-Ubangi) • Goma (Nord-Kivu) • Inongo (Mai-Ndombe) • Isiro (Haut-Uele) • Lisala (Mongala) • Lodja (Sankuru) • Lubumbashi (Haut‑Katanga) • Luebo (Kasaï) • Kabinda (Lomami) • Kalemie (Tanganyika) • Kamina (Haut-Lomami) • Kananga (Lulua) • Kenge (Kwango) • Kinshasa • Kikwit (Kwilu) • Kindu (Maniema) • Kisangani (Tshopo) • Kolwezi (Lualaba) • Matadi (Kongo Central) • Mbandaka (Équateur) • Mbuji-Mayi (Kasaï Oriental)
Provinces are shown between brackets