Kalemie
Encyclopedia
Kalemie, formerly Albertville/Albertstad, is a town on the western shore of Lake Tanganyika
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
. The town is next to the exit of the Lukuga River flowing out from Lake Tanganyika to the Lualaba River
.
Kalemie's twin town is Steinheim
in Germany
.
Then-Albertville was attacked by mercenaries under Major Mike Hoare
during operations against the Simba Rebellion
in August 1964.
junction on the Lualaba River) to the Tanzania
n lake port and railhead at Kigoma
, from where the Tanzanian Central Railway Line runs to the seaport of Dar es Salaam
. The port was built with a 130 m wharf and 3 mobile cranes, giving it a capacity of 500 tonnes per day with two shifts. However, the cranes are non functional, and vessels cannot reach the wharf due to silting up of the lake next to it. The buildings of the port also require rehabilitation. Moreover, the railway line for 100 km west of Kalemie is 'very degraded' and not fully operational.
Kalemie Port is also used by boat services to the northern Lake Tanganyika ports of Kalundu-Uvira
and Bujumbura
in Burundi
, and southwards to Moba and Mpulungu
in Zambia
.
Kalemie Port is operated by the railway company SNCC which also operates the railways in DR Congo (except for the Matadi-Kinshasa line) as well as boat services on the eastern waterways in the country.
struck on December 5, 2005. The epicentre was approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) below the surface of Lake Tanganyika
, some 55 km south-east of Kalemie. At least dozens of houses were destroyed.
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. The town is next to the exit of the Lukuga River flowing out from Lake Tanganyika to the Lualaba River
Lualaba River
The Lualaba River is the greatest headstream of the Congo River by volume of water. However, by length the Chambeshi River is the farthest headstream. The Lualaba is 1800 km long, running from near Musofi in the vicinity of Lubumbashi in Katanga Province. The whole of its length lies within the...
.
Kalemie's twin town is Steinheim
Steinheim, Westphalia
Steinheim is a town in Höxter district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.The middle centre of Steinheim forms the economic, cultural and social hub of the Steinheimer Börde, one of the main territories of the old Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn. This territory was known as Wethi-Weizengau in Saxon...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Then-Albertville was attacked by mercenaries under Major Mike Hoare
Mike Hoare
Thomas Michael Hoare is an Irish mercenary leader known for military activities in Africa and his failed attempt to conduct a coup d'état in the Seychelles.-Early life and military career:...
during operations against the Simba Rebellion
Simba Rebellion
The Simba Rebellion was a 1964 rebellion in the former Republic of the Congo which began as a result of alleged abuses by the Congolese central government...
in August 1964.
Kalemie Port
The port at Kalemie was built to connect the Great Lakes rail line (from the KabaloKabalo
Kabalo is one of a number of towns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with this name. This one is in the east, in Tanganyika District.- Transport :Kabalo is the junction of railway lines to the north and to Lake Tanganyika in the east....
junction on the Lualaba River) to the Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
n lake port and railhead at Kigoma
Kigoma
Kigoma is a town and lake port in western Tanzania, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika and close to the border with Burundi. It serves as the capital for the surrounding Kigoma Region and has a population of 135,234 and an elevation of 775 m.The historic trading town of Ujiji is 6 km...
, from where the Tanzanian Central Railway Line runs to the seaport of Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
. The port was built with a 130 m wharf and 3 mobile cranes, giving it a capacity of 500 tonnes per day with two shifts. However, the cranes are non functional, and vessels cannot reach the wharf due to silting up of the lake next to it. The buildings of the port also require rehabilitation. Moreover, the railway line for 100 km west of Kalemie is 'very degraded' and not fully operational.
Kalemie Port is also used by boat services to the northern Lake Tanganyika ports of Kalundu-Uvira
Uvira
Uvira is a city in Sud-Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, located at the extreme north end of Lake Tanganyika. There is a lake port called Kalundu at the southern end of the town, which provides links by boat to Kalemie, Kigoma in Tanzania, and Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.The town...
and Bujumbura
Bujumbura
-Education:The University of Burundi is located in Bujumbura.Hope Africa University is located in BujumburaUniversité du Lac Tanganyika is located in Bujumbura-External links:**...
in Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, and southwards to Moba and Mpulungu
Mpulungu
Mpulungu is a town in the Northern Province of Zambia, at the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika.From Mpulungu, boats reach DR Congo, Tanzania and Burundi...
in Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
.
Kalemie Port is operated by the railway company SNCC which also operates the railways in DR Congo (except for the Matadi-Kinshasa line) as well as boat services on the eastern waterways in the country.
2005 earthquake
The Lake Tanganyika earthquake2005 Lake Tanganyika earthquake
The 2005 Lake Tanganyika earthquake occurred along the East African Great Rift Valley, and struck at 12:19:55 on 5 December 2005 with its focus approximately below the surface of Lake Tanganyika...
struck on December 5, 2005. The epicentre was approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) below the surface of Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia; it is also the world's longest freshwater lake...
, some 55 km south-east of Kalemie. At least dozens of houses were destroyed.