Kananga

Kananga, formerly (until 1972) Luluabourg, city, south-central Democratic Republic of the Congo, situated just east of the Lulua River, a tributary of the Kasai. It is on road and rail routes to Lubumbashi (southeast) and the Kasai River port of Ilebo (northwest) and has air links to those and other Congolese cities. It was named Luluabourg in 1884 by a German explorer and became a military post that was the scene in 1895 of a widespread revolt of African troops against the Belgians. Luluabourg succeeded Lusambo as the capital of the Kasai region in 1950. A main commercial centre, the city now serves an area producing diamonds (around Tshikapa to the southwest), livestock, and large quantities of coffee and cotton. Palm oil, rice, cassava, peanuts (groundnuts), bananas, and pineapples are also processed in the city. Other industries include brewing and printing. Kananga is the site of a national museum and a teacher-training college. Since Congo’s independence (1960), the city’s population has grown rapidly; the original name was restored in 1972. Pop. (2004 est.) 720,362.