Kasai-Oriental is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders the provinces of Kasai-Occidental

Kasai-Occidental

Kasai-Occidental is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders the provinces of Bandundu to the west, Équateur to the north, Kasai-Oriental to the east, and Katanga to the southeast. To the south it borders the country of Angola...

 to the west, Équateur

Équateur

Équateur is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is in the north of the country, and bordered the Republic of the Congo to the west, the Central African Republic to the north, to the east the Orientale province, and to the south the Kasai-Oriental, Kasai-Occidental, and...

 to the northwest, Orientale to the northeast, Maniema

Maniema

Maniema is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Kindu.Following the 2005 Constitution , 25 new provinces were to be created from the 10 current provinces within 36 months . As of October 2010, this had not taken place...

 to the east, and Katanga to the south. Kasai-Oriental is one of the richest diamond producing regions in the world. The provincial capital is Mbuji-Mayi

Mbuji-Mayi

Mbuji-Mayi serves as the capital of Kasai-Oriental Province in the south-central Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the third largest city in the country, following the capital Kinshasa and second largest city Lubumbashi but ahead of Kisangani and Kananga. The city is the DRC's third-largest,...

.

Following the 2005 Constitution (effective 18 February 2006), Kasai-Oriental was to be divided into the three new provinces within 36 months (18 February 2009): Kasai-Oriental

Kasai-oriental Province

Kasai-Oriental is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...

, Lomami

Lomami Province

Lomami is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...

, and Sankuru

Sankuru Province

Sankuru is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...

. As of October 2010, this had not taken place.

History

Kasai-Oriental is inhabited by members of the Luba

Luba

Luba may refer to:*Slavic origin feminine name which means "someone who has love"*Luba, Equatorial Guinea*Luba, Abra, a municipality in the Philippines*Ľubá, a village and municipality in the Nitra region of south-west Slovakia...

 tribe.

Congo obtained independence from Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 in 1960. Friction with Congo's other ethnic groups and encouragement by Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 corporations hoping to keep their mining concessions led to the secession of the province of South Kasai

South Kasai

South Kasai was a secessionist region in the area of south central Republic of the Congo during the early 1960s. The region sought independence in similar circumstances to neighboring State of Katanga during the political turmoil arising from the decolonization of Belgian Congo...

 as a separate state headed by Albert Kalonji

Albert Kalonji

Albert Kalonji is a Congolese politician best known for leading the short-lived secessionist state of South Kasai during the Congo Crisis...

.

After being repulsed, the Congo occupied the province in September 1961. Several thousand people were killed during the "pacification" of South Kasai, which lasted through the spring of 1962.

The population of Mbuji-Mayi grew rapidly with the immigration of Luba people from other parts of the country.

Diamond mining

The region in which Mbuji-Mayi is situated annually produces one-tenth in weight of the world's industrial diamonds, with mining managed by the Société Minière de Bakwanga. This is the largest accumulation of diamonds in the world, more concentrated than those at Kimberley

Kimberley, Northern Cape

Kimberley is a city in South Africa, and the capital of the Northern Cape. It is located near the confluence of the Vaal and Orange Rivers. The town has considerable historical significance due its diamond mining past and siege during the Second Boer War...

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

. Mbuji-Mayi handles most of the industrial diamonds produced in the Congo.

Political divisions

The province consists of the following five territories:

• Kabeya-Kamwanga
• Katanda
• Lupatapata
• Miabi
  Miabi
  Miabi is a territory of the Kasai-Oriental Province in the south-central of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is inhabited by the Bakwa Dishi and the land which is approximately is owned by its royal family....
  
  
• Tshilenge

Cities and towns

Name	Pop. 2010	Coordinates	Future province
Bakwa-Kalonji	69,619	6.18°S 23.38°E
Dilunga	23,804
Gandajika Gandajika Gandajika is both a locality and a territory in Kabinda District in the Democratic Republic of the Congo....  (Ngandajika)	140,556	6.74°S 23.96°E	Lomami Lomami Province Lomami is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Kabinda Kabinda Kabinda is a town and territory in Kabinda District, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town is the capital of Kabinda District. Kabinda is served by Tunta Airport. The town had 192 364 inhabitants 2010. The town is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabinda...	192,364	6.13°S 24.48°E	Lomami Lomami Province Lomami is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Katako-Kombe	7,592	3.40°S 24.42°E	Sankuru Sankuru Province Sankuru is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Katanda	29,146	6.33°S 23.90°E	Kasai-Oriental Kasai-oriental Province Kasai-Oriental is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Lodja Lodja Lodja is a town in central Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the administrative center of the Sankuru District. It is located at around .Lodja is home to the Lodja Airport....	61,689	3.49°S 23.42°E	Sankuru Sankuru Province Sankuru is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Lomela	9,800	2.30°S 23.28°E	Sankuru Sankuru Province Sankuru is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Lubao Lubao, Democratic Republic of the Congo Lubao is a town and territory in Kabinda District, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies near the eastern bank of the Lomami River. The town is served by Lubao Airport. Economic activity in the surrounding area includes diamond mining, and the town is a centre for diamond trading....  (Sentery)	26,694	5.39°S 25.75°E	Lomami Lomami Province Lomami is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Lubefu	2,028	4.72°S 24.42°E	Sankuru Sankuru Province Sankuru is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Lupatapata (Luhatahata)	18,444	4.67°S 24.28°E	Kasai-Oriental Kasai-oriental Province Kasai-Oriental is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Luputa	37,848	7.17°S 23.70°E
Lusambo Lusambo Lusambo is a town and territory in Sankuru District, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town lies north of the confluence of the Sankuru River and the Lubi River. Lusambo is served by Lusambo Airport. In 1999 there were claims that U.S. mercenaries were operating rebel artillery and...	32,340	4.97°S 23.43°E	Sankuru Sankuru Province Sankuru is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Mbuji-Mayi Mbuji-Mayi Mbuji-Mayi serves as the capital of Kasai-Oriental Province in the south-central Democratic Republic of Congo. It is the third largest city in the country, following the capital Kinshasa and second largest city Lubumbashi but ahead of Kisangani and Kananga. The city is the DRC's third-largest,...  (Bakwanga)	1,559,073	6.13°S 23.59°E	Kasai-Oriental Kasai-oriental Province Kasai-Oriental is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Miabi Miabi Miabi is a territory of the Kasai-Oriental Province in the south-central of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is inhabited by the Bakwa Dishi and the land which is approximately is owned by its royal family....	55,328	6.20°S 23.38°E	Kasai-Oriental Kasai-oriental Province Kasai-Oriental is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Mwene-Ditu	190,718	7.00°S 23.44°E	Lomami Lomami Province Lomami is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...
Tshilenge	80,348	6.25°S 23.77°E	Kasai-Oriental Kasai-oriental Province Kasai-Oriental is one of 25 new provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo specified in the country's 2005 Constitution , under Article 2. It was to be created from country's the existing 10 provinces within 36 months , according to Article 226. As of October 2010, this had not taken place...

Languages

French

French language

French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...

 is the official language. Tshiluba is one of the four national languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tshiluba is spoken by about 6.3 million people in the Kasai-Oriental, Kasai

Kasai region

The Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is divided administratively into Kasai-Occidental and Kasai-Oriental. It shares its name with the Kasai River....

 and Lulua provinces.