Haut-Uélé (“Upper Uélé”) is a province in the far north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, administered from Isiro. It covers 89,683 km² with a projected 2,242,500 people, and is one of the 26 provinces created when the 2015 repartitioning broke up Orientale Province.
| Capital | Isiro |
|---|---|
| Population | 2,242,500 (projected, 2020) |
| Area | 89,683 km² |
| Density | About 25 per km² |
| Territories | 6 |
| Cities | Isiro (chef-lieu) |
| Languages | French, Lingala, Swahili, Pa-Zande |
| Neighbours | 3 provinces, South Sudan, CAR |
| Governor | Jean Bakomito Gambu (2026) |
Towns, Cities and Territories
Haut-Uélé has six territories, each named after its headquarters town. Isiro is the provincial chef-lieu.
| Territory | Headquarters | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dungu | Dungu | Where the Uélé River begins |
| Faradje | Faradje | North-east, toward Uganda |
| Niangara | Niangara | On the Uélé, Mangbetu country |
| Rungu | Rungu | Surrounds the capital, Isiro |
| Wamba | Wamba | South, forest edge |
| Watsa | Watsa | Kibali gold mine |
Isiro, named Paulis in the Belgian Congo period, stands at 730 metres between rainforest and savanna and was estimated at about 182,000 people in 2012. It has a hospital, a cathedral and the Université de l’Uélé, founded by the Dominicans in 1998. Dungu, roughly 52,000 in 2009, sits at the meeting of the Dungu and Kibali rivers and is the seat of the Catholic diocese of Doruma-Dungu. Watsa is the service town for the Kibali gold mine. Together with Faradje, Niangara and Wamba, these are the province’s principal communities.
Geography
Haut-Uélé runs from tropical monsoon forest in the south to savanna in the north. It borders South Sudan and the Central African Republic to the north, Ituri to the east, Tshopo to the south, and Bas-Uélé to the west.
The Uélé River is formed at Dungu, where the Dungu and the Kibali meet. Both rise in the hills near Lake Albert. From there the Uélé runs west for 1,210 km to meet the Mbomou; the Bomokandi is its main southern tributary. Garamba National Park covers 5,200 km² of savanna north of Dungu, on the South Sudan border. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980 and on the danger list since 1996. African Parks has managed it with the Congolese wildlife authority since 2005.
Demographics
At about 25 people per km², Haut-Uélé is more densely settled than its western neighbour. The Mangbetu and the Azande are the largest peoples, alongside Logo, Mamvu, Mayogo, Mundu, Kakwa and Baka communities. French is official; Lingala, Swahili and Pa-Zande are all in daily use, and which one you hear depends on how far east you are. DR Congo has held no census since 1984, so every figure here is a projection.
Economy and Local Life
Gold dominates the formal economy. The Kibali mine sits in Watsa and Faradje territories, about 220 km east of Isiro, and is one of Africa’s largest. It was commissioned in September 2013 after $1.7 billion of development and produced 814,000 ounces in 2019. Barrick and AngloGold Ashanti hold 45% each, with the state company SOKIMO at 10%. The mine runs on its own hydropower, including a 20 MW plant on the Nzoro River and the Azambi station opened in 2018. Away from Kibali, coffee is the main cash crop around Isiro, with palm oil, rice, cassava and groundnuts grown for local markets. Artisanal gold digging is widespread across the Watsa goldfields that the industrial mine sits on.
History
The province was created in 2015 from the Haut-Uele District of Orientale Province, with Isiro promoted from district headquarters to provincial capital. Isiro grew as the Belgian rail town of Paulis at the eastern end of the Vicicongo narrow-gauge line. From 2005 the Dungu area was heavily affected by Lord’s Resistance Army incursions from the north. These displaced tens of thousands and made Dungu a base for United Nations agencies and aid organisations.
Getting There
Matari Airport at Isiro carries flights to Kinshasa and the regional centres, and Dungu-Uye Airport serves the north. The road from Kisangani to Isiro is 572 km of mostly unpaved surface, slow in the rains. Eastward, roads run through Watsa and Faradje toward Arua on the Ugandan border, about 150 km from the Kibali mine. Much of the province’s imported freight comes in that way. The Vicicongo narrow-gauge railway from Isiro to Bumba is not operational.
FAQ
What is the capital of Haut-Uélé?
Isiro, a town of roughly 182,000 people known as Paulis during the colonial period.
How many territories does Haut-Uélé have?
Six: Dungu, Faradje, Niangara, Rungu, Wamba and Watsa.
What language is spoken in Haut-Uélé?
French is official. Pa-Zande, Lingala and Swahili are all spoken day to day, and Mangbetu is common around Niangara and Rungu.
Where is the Kibali gold mine?
In Watsa and Faradje territories, about 220 km east of Isiro and 150 km west of Arua on the Uganda border.
Which country borders Haut-Uélé?
South Sudan and the Central African Republic, both along its northern edge.
Which national park is in Haut-Uélé?
Garamba National Park, 5,200 km² north of Dungu, founded in 1938 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.