KinshasaCapital
DR Congo · Country profile
Kinshasa is the enormous, electric capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the sprawling megacity on the south bank of the great river that faces the skyline of the Brazzaville across the water. It is the second-largest city of Africa and the cultural capital of the continent of music, where the rhumba and the soukous, the painters and the writers of the country have made their home in the colonial ville and the vast communes of the interior. The boulevards of the centre, the markets of the enormous city, the art academy and the nightlife of the music clubs carry the furious energy of a nation that refuses to stop. Hot, vast, chaotic and magnificently alive, Kinshasa is one of the true great cities of the world.
About Kinshasa
Kinshasa is the capital of DR Congo. The city's documented population is around 16,300,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Congolese Franc (CDF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +243.
The Capital of the River and the Boulevard of the Thirtieth of June
Kinshasa runs on the river and the music, with the Boulevard of the Thirtieth of June, the palaces and the markets of the centre and the viewpoints of the port setting the classic route of the visitor. The Academy of the Fine Arts, the national museum and the craft village of the city show the extraordinary artistic wealth of the country, while the evening clubs of the town fill with the rhumba of the greatest bands of the continent. The crossing of the river by the boat gives the strange chance to step into the sister capital of the Brazzaville. It is demanding, chaotic and utterly distinctive, the beating musical heart of central Africa.
The Equatorial Heat, the Storms and the Rhumba of the Night
The city sits in the hot, humid heart of the equator, with two rainy seasons and two dry, and the heat and the storms rule the rhythm of the year. The franc is the currency, the French the language of the streets, with the Lingala filling the markets and the songs of the city. The museums, the art studios and the river viewpoints make the main circuit, and the movement of the evening needs the local guidance and the arranged drivers. Light, modest dress, a good mosquito plan and the patience for the great city are the practical essentials of Kinshasa.
The Academy of the Arts, the National Museum and the View of the River
The Academy of the Fine Arts trains the painters and the sculptors of the country, and its galleries and its workshop courtyards are the liveliest art spaces of the capital. The national museum on the hill of the Mont Ngaliema displays the masks, the statues and the ceremonial objects of the peoples of the whole basin, and the craft market of the city sells the carvings and the textiles of the artisans. The riverfront of the capital, with its views across the water to the twin city and the enormous currents of the deepest river of the world, holds the true drama of the position of the city of Kinshasa.
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- Country
- DR Congo
- Population
- 16,300,000
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Congolese Franc (CDF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +243
- Country code
- CD
Entry requirements for DR Congo
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting DR Congo for tourism.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kinshasa the capital of DR Congo?
Yes — Kinshasa is the capital of DR Congo.
What currency do I need in Kinshasa?
The local currency is the Congolese Franc (CDF). Languages spoken in DR Congo include French.
What is the dialling code for DR Congo?
The international dialling code for DR Congo is +243.
Do I need a visa to visit DR Congo?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Kinshasa? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.