Capital city of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. During the
Belgian colonial period, the city was called
Leopoldville. In the mid-1990s, population was 4.5 million.
Situated on the Congo River, its population (called Kinois) grew 600% during the period from 1950-1980 due to migration from rural areas. Millions flocked to the city despite the fact that services such as running water, electricity, sewerage and adequate food supply are not available generally in Kinshasa. This has resulted in serious public health problems.
Sources: Encyclopedia Britannica, CIA World Factbook, World Health Organization