Africa · capital city
What Is the Capital of DR Congo?
Kinshasa
The capital of DR Congo is Kinshasa. About 16.3 million people live in the Kinshasa urban area — 14.5% of the country's population.
16.3 million
Urban area population
UTC+1
Time zone
4.32°S
Latitude · 15.30°E
Yes
Largest city
Kinshasa at a glance
Name origin
Founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King LEOPOLD II of the Belgians; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, a Bantu name of unknown meaning.
Time zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
4 19 S, 15 18 E · IANA time zone Africa/Lagos
Location of DR Congo
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Largest cities in DR Congo
1
Kinshasa Capital
16.3 million2
Mbuji-Mayi
2.9 million3
Lubumbashi
2.8 million4
Kananga
1.7 million5
Kisangani
1.4 million6
Bukavu
1.2 millionUrban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Gitega, Burundi — 1,625 km
Kigali, Rwanda — 1,659 km
Lusaka, Zambia — 1,881 km
Kampala, Uganda — 1,984 km
Juba, South Sudan — 2,079 km
Dodoma, Tanzania — 2,668 kmCapitals closest to Kinshasa
Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo — 8 km
administered from London, British Indian Ocean Territory — 461 km
Luanda, Angola — 552 km
Libreville, Gabon — 834 km
Yaounde, Cameroon — 1,002 km
Bangui, Central African Republic — 1,032 km
Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe — 1,083 km
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea — 1,153 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Kinshasa
What is the capital of DR Congo?
The capital of DR Congo is Kinshasa. About 16.3 million people live in the Kinshasa urban area — 14.5% of the country's population.
Is Kinshasa the largest city in DR Congo?
Yes — Kinshasa is also the largest urban area of DR Congo (16.3 million).
What time zone is Kinshasa in?
Kinshasa is on UTC+1 — UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Kinshasa come from?
Founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King LEOPOLD II of the Belgians; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, a Bantu name of unknown meaning.
Which capital is closest to Kinshasa?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo) is the closest, 8 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).