Matadi
Encyclopedia
Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and the capital of the Bas-Congo
province. It has a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River
148 km (92 mi) from the mouth and 8 km (5 mi) below the last navigable point before rapids make the river impassable for a long stretch upriver. It was founded by Sir Henry Morton Stanley
in 1879.
", after graffiti
carved by the Portuguese explorer in 1485 marking the limit of his travels up the Congo River.
Mount Cambier and the Yelaba Rapids also lie near the city.
in Angola
. Matadi serves as a major import and export point for the whole nation. Chief exports are coffee and timber. The state fishing company "Pemarza" uses the port to supply fish to Kinshasa. Tshimpi Airport
is nearby but is reportedly inactive.
Matadi Bridge
, a suspension bridge 722 m long with a main span of 520 m, built in 1983, crosses the river just south of Matadi, carrying the main road linking Kinshasa to the coast. After passing through Matadi and over the bridge, it continues to Boma, Muanda
and Banana. Although built as a mixed rail and road bridge, there is no current rail line operating over the bridge. Matadi is though the port railhead for the 366 km long Matadi-Kinshasa Railway
constructed to by-pass the rapids on the river upstream. A monument
to the builders of railway stands on a nearby hill.
A power station on the Mpozo River supplies power to Matadi.
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...
and the capital of the Bas-Congo
Bas-Congo
Bas-Congo is one of the eleven provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the only province with a coastline and it borders Bandundu province to the east and Kinshasa to the northeast...
province. It has a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
148 km (92 mi) from the mouth and 8 km (5 mi) below the last navigable point before rapids make the river impassable for a long stretch upriver. It was founded by Sir Henry Morton Stanley
Henry Morton Stanley
Sir Henry Morton Stanley, GCB, born John Rowlands , was a Welsh journalist and explorer famous for his exploration of Africa and his search for David Livingstone. Upon finding Livingstone, Stanley allegedly uttered the now-famous greeting, "Dr...
in 1879.
Culture
The word Matadi means stone in the local Kikongo language. The town is built on steep hills and there is local saying that to live in Matadi, you must know the verbs "to go up", "to go down" and "to sweat". Upstream is a series of caves known as the "rock of Diogo CãoDiogo Cão
Diogo Cão was a Portuguese explorer and one of the most remarkable navigators of the Age of Discovery, who made two voyages sailing along the west coast of Africa to Namibia in the 1480s.-Early life and family:...
", after graffiti
Graffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
carved by the Portuguese explorer in 1485 marking the limit of his travels up the Congo River.
Mount Cambier and the Yelaba Rapids also lie near the city.
Infrastructure
The mouth of the Congo forms one of Africa's largest harbours. In addition to Matadi which is the furthest upriver, three ports are located within it, the others being Boma and Banana in DR Congo and SoyoSoyo
Soyo is a city located in the province of Zaire in Angola. Soyo recently became the largest oil-producing region in the country, with an estimate of .-Early history:...
in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. Matadi serves as a major import and export point for the whole nation. Chief exports are coffee and timber. The state fishing company "Pemarza" uses the port to supply fish to Kinshasa. Tshimpi Airport
Tshimpi Airport
Tshimpi Airport is an airport in Matadi, Democratic Republic of the Congo ....
is nearby but is reportedly inactive.
Matadi Bridge
Matadi Bridge
The Matadi Bridge, also known as the OEBK Bridge, is a suspension bridge in the port of Matadi, Democratic Republic of Congo. Completed in 1983, it has a main span of 520 m, crossing the Congo River, carrying the main highway between the capital Kinshasa and the Atlantic coast...
, a suspension bridge 722 m long with a main span of 520 m, built in 1983, crosses the river just south of Matadi, carrying the main road linking Kinshasa to the coast. After passing through Matadi and over the bridge, it continues to Boma, Muanda
Muanda
Muanda or Moanda is a town lying on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the mouth of the Congo River. It is situated in Bas-Congo Province, and has a population of 50,000...
and Banana. Although built as a mixed rail and road bridge, there is no current rail line operating over the bridge. Matadi is though the port railhead for the 366 km long Matadi-Kinshasa Railway
Matadi-Kinshasa Railway
The Matadi-Kinshasa Railway is a railway line in Bas-Congo Province between the port of Matadi and Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of the Congo.The Matadi-Kinshasa Railway was built from 1890 to 1898...
constructed to by-pass the rapids on the river upstream. A monument
Monument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
to the builders of railway stands on a nearby hill.
A power station on the Mpozo River supplies power to Matadi.