| Luele River | |
|---|---|
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | 3°57′17″S19°23′56″E / 3.954767°S 19.399023°E Coordinates: 3°57′17″S19°23′56″E / 3.954767°S 19.399023°E |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Kasai River |
The Luele River (called the Pio-Pio or Lié River in its lower course) runs from south to north through Idiofa Territory, Kwilu District, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The river starts as a clear stream in a small valley near Idiofa. It grows in size rapidly due to many small tributaries, among which is the Punkulu River, and then meanders through a large valley before entering the Kasai River downstream from Mangai. [1]
Idiofa Territory is an administrative area in the Kwilu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital is the town of Idiofa.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as DR Congo, the DRC, DROC, Congo-Kinshasa, East Congo, or simply the Congo, is a country located in Central Africa. It is sometimes anachronistically referred to by its former name of Zaire, which was its official name between 1971 and 1997. It is, by area, the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa, and the 11th-largest in the world. With a population of over 78 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country, the fourth-most-populated country in Africa, and the 16th-most-populated country in the world. Currently, eastern DR Congo is the scene of ongoing military conflict in Kivu, since 2015.
The Kasai River is a tributary of the Congo River, located in Central Africa. The river begins in central Angola and flows to the east until it reaches the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where it turns north and serves as the border until it flows into the DRC. From Ilebo, between the confluences with Lulua river and Sankuru river, the Kasai river turns to a westerly direction. The lower stretch of the river from the confluence with Fimi river, is known as the Kwa(h) River, before it joins the Congo at Kwamouth northeast of Kinshasa. The Kasai basin consists mainly of equatorial rainforest areas, which provide an agricultural land in a region noted for its infertile, sandy soil. It is a tributary of Congo river and diamonds are found in this river. Around 60% of diamonds in Belgium go from Kasai river for cutting and shaping.
