Ilebo
Encyclopedia
Ilebo, formerly known as Port-Francqui, is a town in Kasaï District
in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying at the highest navigable point of the Kasaï River
. As such, it is an important transport hub
for ferries
to Kinshasa
and train
s to Lubumbashi
.
The city rapidly grew under the Belgian colonial administration, especially after the railway line to Lubumbashi was opened. There were plans to extend the railway line to Kinshasa, and the construction of a bridge over the Kasai river began in 1935, but was stopped after the unfinished bridge collapsed on 12 September 1937. During the second world war the city grew massively in size, due to the influx of workers to the local industry manufacturing arms for the war effort. After independence the original name of the city was restored.
to fund the construction of a railway from Ilebo to Kinshasa
. about 700 km.
on 1 December 1960.
Kasaï District
Kasai District is a district located in the Kasai-Occidental province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....
in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying at the highest navigable point of the Kasaï River
Kasai River
The Kasai River is a tributary of the Congo River, located in central Africa. The river begins in Angola and serves as the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo , then flows into the DRC, where it joins the Congo northeast of Kinshasa. The Kasai's tributaries include the...
. As such, it is an important transport hub
Transportation hub
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include train stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stop, airports and ferry slips. Freight hubs include classification yards, seaports and truck...
for ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
and train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s to Lubumbashi
Lubumbashi
Lubumbashi is the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, second only to the nation's capital Kinshasa, and the hub of the southeastern part of the country. The copper-mining city serves as the capital of the relatively prosperous Katanga Province, lying near the Zambian border...
.
Overview
Ilebo was founded in the 17th century as a trading center and residence of the local rulers. It flourished in the 19th century, and was prior to the arrival of the Belgians the largest settlement in the Central Congo with an estimated population of 5000 people. Ilebo was connected to other settlements via the river and several sand roads that were passable by porters. In 1901 the Belgian colonial administration renamed Ilebo into Port-Francqui.The city rapidly grew under the Belgian colonial administration, especially after the railway line to Lubumbashi was opened. There were plans to extend the railway line to Kinshasa, and the construction of a bridge over the Kasai river began in 1935, but was stopped after the unfinished bridge collapsed on 12 September 1937. During the second world war the city grew massively in size, due to the influx of workers to the local industry manufacturing arms for the war effort. After independence the original name of the city was restored.
Railways
In September 2007 an agreement was signed for ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to fund the construction of a railway from Ilebo to Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River....
. about 700 km.
Lumumba capture
It was in Ilebo (then Port-Francqui) that Mobutu's soldiers captured Patrice LumumbaPatrice Lumumba
Patrice Émery Lumumba was a Congolese independence leader and the first legally elected Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo after he helped win its independence from Belgium in June 1960. Only ten weeks later, Lumumba's government was deposed in a coup during the Congo Crisis...
on 1 December 1960.