Tshopo is a province in north-central Democratic Republic of the Congo, named after the Tshopo River and administered from Kisangani. It covers 199,567 km² and holds a projected 2,829,700 people. Tshopo is one of the 26 provinces created when the 2015 repartitioning broke up Orientale Province.
| Capital | Kisangani |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,829,700 (projected, 2020) |
| Area | 199,567 km² |
| Density | About 14 per km² |
| Territories | 7 |
| Cities | Kisangani (6 communes) |
| Languages | French, Swahili, Lingala |
| Neighbours | 7 provinces, no foreign border |
| Governor | Paulin Lendongolia (2026) |
Towns, Cities and Territories
Tshopo has seven territories plus the city of Kisangani, which is administered separately. Each territory takes its name from the town that serves as its headquarters.
| Territory | Headquarters | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kisangani | City (ville) | Provincial capital, 6 communes |
| Bafwasende | Bafwasende | On the Lindi River, east |
| Banalia | Banalia | On the Aruwimi, north |
| Basoko | Basoko | Congo–Aruwimi confluence |
| Isangi | Isangi | Congo–Lomami confluence |
| Opala | Opala | Southern forest, Lomami basin |
| Ubundu | Ubundu | Above the Boyoma Falls |
| Yahuma | Yahuma | North-west, Congo left bank |
Kisangani’s six communes are Makiso, Kabondo, Kisangani, Lubunga, Mangobo and Tshopo. Isangi sits 130 km downstream of Kisangani where the Lomami meets the Congo. Basoko, about 48,000 people in 2009, stands at the Aruwimi mouth. Ubundu lies roughly 100 km upstream of Kisangani, just above the falls that break the river.
Geography
Tshopo straddles the equator and is almost all lowland rainforest. It borders Tshuapa to the west; Mongala, Bas-Uélé and Haut-Uélé to the north; Ituri and North Kivu to the east; and Maniema and Sankuru to the south. It touches no foreign country.
The Congo River crosses the province from south to north-west. Above Kisangani it is called the Lualaba. The seven cataracts of the Boyoma Falls drop 61 metres between Ubundu and Kisangani and end deep-water navigation from the sea. Main tributaries here are the Lomami, Aruwimi, Lindi and the Tshopo itself.
Demographics
At roughly 14 people per km², Tshopo is thinly settled outside its river towns. The main peoples are the Lokele, Topoke, Mbole, Lengola, Kumu and Bali, with Mongo groups in the south-west. French is the official language. Swahili is the common trade language in Kisangani and the east, Lingala along the river and in the north. Note that DR Congo has held no census since 1984, so every figure above is a projection.
Economy and Local Life
Timber is the province’s biggest formal industry, cut in the Isangi, Basoko and Ubundu forests and floated or trucked to Kisangani. Kisangani itself has the SOTEXKI textile mill and a Bralima brewery. It is also the collection point for coffee, rice, palm oil and cassava from across the north-east. Artisanal gold is dug in Bafwasende Territory. River trade is the backbone of daily commerce: barges and pirogues move fish, plantain and manufactured goods between the territory headquarters and the capital.
History
Kisangani was founded as Stanleyville in 1883 and served as the capital of Orientale Province through the colonial and post-independence periods. The 2015 repartitioning split Orientale into four: Tshopo, Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé and Ituri. Tshopo was formed by merging the old Tshopo District with the separately administered city of Kisangani, which kept its role as capital.
Getting There
Bangoka International Airport, east of Kisangani, carries flights to Kinshasa, Goma and Lubumbashi. Kisangani is the head of navigation on the Congo, about 2,100 km upstream from the river’s mouth. It is the country’s most important inland port after Kinshasa, and barges from Kinshasa take one to three weeks. By road, Buta is 324 km away and Isiro 572 km, both on unpaved routes that close in heavy rain. The 115 km Kisangani–Ubundu portage railway bypasses the falls but has been derelict since the early 2000s. A $257 million rehabilitation concession is targeted for completion in 2028.
FAQ
What is the capital of Tshopo?
Kisangani, a city of six communes and the largest urban centre in north-eastern DR Congo.
How many territories does Tshopo have?
Seven: Bafwasende, Banalia, Basoko, Isangi, Opala, Ubundu and Yahuma. The city of Kisangani is administered separately from them.
What language is spoken in Tshopo?
French is official. Swahili is the everyday language in Kisangani and the east, and Lingala is widely used along the river.
How big is Tshopo province?
199,567 km², with a projected population of about 2.83 million in 2020. No census has been held since 1984.
Which province was Tshopo part of before 2015?
Orientale Province, which was divided in 2015 into Tshopo, Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé and Ituri.
Can you reach Kisangani by boat from Kinshasa?
Yes. Kisangani is the farthest point upstream that river traffic from Kinshasa can reach. The Boyoma Falls block any further passage.