 | This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information.(May 2016) |
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| United Nations Mission |
 Democratic Republic of the Congoportal |
The provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were divided into 26 districts. Those in turn were divided into territories or communes.
The 2006 constitution planned to convert many of the districts into provinces under a decentralization program. However, progress was slow. [1] In October 2007 the Minister for Decentralization, Denis Kalume Numbi, presented a bill for Decentralization in the National Assembly. The subsequent debate turned up a variety of issues that first had to be addressed with changes to related laws. [2] In an October 2010 conclave of the ruling AMP coalition, it was proposed to revise Article 226, which calls for the creation of 26 provinces out of the current 11, in order to allow more time for the transition. [3] In September 2011 the position of "Minister of Decentralization" was abolished. [4]
The provinces of Maniema, Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu were not divided into districts. Those three provinces and all other districts were divided into territories. Most provinces also included cities, which were independent of the districts; in turn those were divided into communes.
Districts and cities, other than the capital city of Kinshasa, and their territories or communes consist of the following: [5]
| District or City | Type | Province | Proposed Province | Territories and communes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maniema | Maniema | Kabambare, Kailo, Kasongo, Kibombo, Lubutu, Pangi, Punia | ||
| North Kivu | North Kivu | Beni, Lubero, Masisi, Nyiragongo, Rutshuru, Walikale | ||
| South Kivu | South Kivu | Fizi, Idjwi, Kabare, Kalehe, Mwenga, Shabunda, Uvira, Walungu | ||
| Bandundu | City | Bandundu | Mai-Ndombe | Disasi, Basoko, Mayoyo |
| Bas-Fleuve District | District | Bas-Congo | Kongo Central | Lukula, Seke-Banza, Tshela |
| Bas-Uele District | District | Orientale | Bas-Uele | Aketi, Ango, Bambesa, Bondo, Buta, Gwane, Poko |
| Beni | City | North Kivu | North Kivu | Beni, Bungulu, Ruwenzori, Muhekera |
| Boma | City | Bas-Congo | Kongo Central | Kabondo, Kalamu, Nzadi, Moanda Territory |
| Bukavu | City | South Kivu | South Kivu | Bagira, Ibanda, Kadutu, Kasha |
| Butembo | City | North Kivu | North Kivu | Bulengera, Kimemi, Mususa, Vutamba |
| Cataractes District | District | Bas-Congo | Kongo Central | Luozi, Mbanza-Ngungu, Songololo |
| Équateur District | District | Équateur | Équateur | Basankusu, Bikoro, Bolomba, Bomongo, Ingende, Lukolela, Makanza |
| Gbadolite | City | Équateur | Nord-Ubangi | Gbadolite, Molegbe, Nganza |
| Goma | City | North Kivu | North Kivu | Goma, Karisimbi |
| Haut-Katanga District | District | Katanga | Haut-Katanga | Kambove, Kasenga, Kipushi, Mitwaba, Pweto, Sakania |
| Haut-Lomami District | District | Katanga | Haut-Lomami | Bukama, Kabongo, Kamina, Kanyama, Malemba-Nkulu |
| Haut-Uele District | District | Orientale | Haut-Uele | Dungu, Faradje, Niangara, Rungu, Wamba, Watsa |
| Ituri District | District | Orientale | Ituri | Aru, Djugu, Irumu, Mahagi, Mambasa |
| Kabinda District | District | Kasai-Oriental | Lomami | Gandajika, Kabinda, Kamiji, Lubao, Luilu |
| Kananga | City | Kasai-Occidental | Lulua | Kananga, Katoka, Lukonga, Ndesha, Nganza |
| Kasaï District | District | Kasai-Occidental | Kasai | Dekese, Ilebo, Kamonia (Tshikapa), Luebo, Mweka |
| Kikwit | City | Bandundu | Kwilu | Kazamba, Lukemi, Lukolela, Nzida |
| Kindu | City | Maniema | Maniema | Alungili, Kasuku, Mikelenge |
| Kisangani | City | Orientale | Tshopo | Kabondo, Kisangani, Lubunga, Makiso, Mangobo, Tshopo |
| Kolwezi | City | Katanga | Lualaba | Dilala, Manika |
| Kolwezi District | District | Katanga | Lualaba | Lubudi, Mutshatsha, Dilala, Manika |
| Kwango District | District | Bandundu | Kwango | Feshi, Kahemba, Kasongo-Lunda, Kenge, Kisandji, Popokabaka |
| Kwilu District | District | Bandundu | Kwilu | Bagata, Bulungu, Eolo, Gungu, Idiofa, Kalo, Kikwit, Kilembe, Mangai, Masi-Manimba, Musenge Munene, Nkara, Sedzo, Zaba |
| Likasi | City | Katanga | Haut-Katanga | Panda, Kikula, Likasi, Tshituru |
| Lualaba District | District | Katanga | Lualaba | Dilolo, Kapanga, Sandoa |
| Lubumbashi | City | Katanga | Haut-Katanga | Annexe, Kamalondo, Kampemba, Katuba, Kenya, Lubumbashi, Rwashi |
| Lukaya District | District | Bas-Congo | Kongo Central | Kasangulu, Kimvula, Madimba |
| Lulua District | District | Kasai-Occidental | Lulua | Demba, Dibaya, Dimbelenge, Kazumba, Luiza |
| Mai-Ndombe District | District | Bandundu | Mai-Ndombe | Bokoro, Inongo, Kiri, Kutu, Nioki, Oshwe |
| Matadi | City | Bas-Congo | Kongo Central | Matadi, Nzanza, Mvuzi |
| Mbandaka | City | Équateur | Équateur | Mbandaka, Wangata |
| Mbuji-Mayi | City | Kasai-Oriental | Kasai-Oriental | Bipemba, Dibindi, Diulu, Kanshi, Muya |
| Mongala District | District | Équateur | Mongala | Bumba, Bongandanga, Lisala |
| Mwene-Ditu | City | Kasai-Oriental | Lomami | Bondoyi, Musadi, Mwene-Ditu |
| Nord-Ubangi District | District | Équateur | Nord-Ubangi | Businga, Bosobolo, Mobayi-Mbongo, Yakoma |
| Plateaux District | District | Bandundu | Mai-Ndombe | Bolobo, Kwamouth, Mushie, Yumbi |
| Sankuru District | District | Kasai-Oriental | Sankuru | Katako-Kombe, Kole, Lodja, Lomela, Lubefu, Lusambo |
| Sud-Ubangi District | District | Équateur | Sud-Ubangi | Budjala, Gemena, Kungu, Libenge |
| Tanganyika District | District | Katanga | Tanganyika | Kabalo, Kalemie, Kongolo, Manono, Moba, Nyunzu |
| Tshikapa | City | Kasai-Occidental | Kasai | Dibumba I, Dibumba II, Kanzala, Mabondo, Mbumba |
| Tshilenge District | District | Kasai-Oriental | Kasai-Oriental | Kabeya-Kamwanga, Katanda, Luhatahata, Miabi, Tshilenge |
| Tshopo District | District | Orientale | Tshopo | Bafwasende, Banalia, Basoko, Isangi, Opala, Ubundu, Yahuma |
| Tshuapa District | District | Équateur | Tshuapa | Befale, Boende, Bokungu, Djolu, Ikela, Monkoto |
| Zongo | City | Équateur | Sud-Ubangi | Nzulu, Wango |
The city of Kinshasa is divided into four districts and 24 communes: [6]
| District | Communes |
|---|---|
| Funa District | Bandalungwa, Bumbu, Kalamu, Kasa-Vubu, Makala, Ngiri-Ngiri, Selembao |
| Lukunga District | Barumbu, Gombe, Kinshasa, Kintambo, Lingwala, Mont Ngafula, Ngaliema |
| Mont Amba District | Kisenso, Lemba, Limete, Matete, Ngaba |
| Tshangu District | Kimbanseke, Maluku, Masina, Ndjili, Nsele |
Politics of the Democratic Republic of Congo take place in a framework of a republic in transition from a civil war to a semi-presidential republic.
Équateur was a province in the northwest of the Belgian Congo and the successor Republic of the Congo, now known as Democratic Republic of the Congo. It had its origins in the Équateur District of the Congo Free State, the private property of King Leopold II of Belgium. It was upgraded to the status of a province in 1917. Between 1933 and 1947 it was named Coquilhatville. In 1962 it was divided into three smaller provinces, but there were recombined in 1966. Équateur was one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo until 2015, when it was split into the new, smaller Équateur province, as well as the Tshuapa, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi and Sud-Ubangi provinces.
Kasaï-Occidental was one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1966 and 2015, when it was split into the Kasaï-Central and the Kasaï provinces.
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