Transport as a Democratic republic of Congo

The Transport in Democratic republic of Congo is one of most important challenges the than the country is brought to raise to secure a sustainable development. The railway networks and river, at the origin incomplete for historical or geographical reasons, saw their general state being degraded since independence for lack of maintenance or even flight of the infrastructures. The highway network is itself considerably faded. Kinshasa is not accessible any more by the road from the other principal cities from the country only are Mbuji-Mayi, Lubumbashi, Kisangani, Kananga and Goma.

The connections of the Capital with the outside of the country however improved beginning of the Années 2000 with the rehabilitation of the Route of Matadi.

History

Road transport

The domestic network adds up: 152320 km including/understanding: 7400 km of the streets: 58305 km of the roads of general interest of which only: 2801 km of roads are covered and: 86615 km of the roads of local interest. The network also includes/understands: 1965 bridges for: 25130 m and 187 vats (with flying bridges, engines and dugouts).


total: : 157000 km
not asphalted: n.d. km (is. 1996)

  • Trunk road 1, the Atlantic-Katanga
  • Trunk road 2, center-North-Is
  • Trunk road 3, Goma - Kisangani

Rail-bound transport

RDCongo has: 5033 km of not inter-connected railways and not having the same standards. : 858 km of electrified ways serve the mine field in the south of Katanga: 1026 km of ways to a spacing of 0,6 m serve the agricultural and gold bearing area the North-East of the DRC, the Kisangani section - Ubundu has a spacing of 1,00 m while all the remainder of the network has a spacing of 1,067 Mr.

The railroad in DRC is currently organized in 4 distinct networks, namely a line making it possible to connect Matadi and Kinshasa on the one hand, as well as a network more extended, in connection with the Zambia, the Angola and the Lac Tanganyika, with Lubumbashi like central point, a line connecting Kisangani and Ubundu, to mitigate the Stanley Falls on the Congo, and finally a narrow-gauge line in the area of Uele (northern). There in addition exist projects of prolongation of the existing lines, of which a connection between Kinshasa and Ilebo, which would make it possible to join the two most important networks.

Line Matadi - Kinshasa

The line which connects the port of Matadi to Kinshasa 366 kilometers is long. Its spacing is since 1931 of 3 ½ feet or 42 inches (way wraps; 1,067 meter). This line of the SNCC is exploited by the National office of Transport (ONATRA) according to an agreement, signed by the two companies. But this line lost large market shares, had in its lamentable state, the insecurity on the rail (certain trains are attacked) and with the repairing of the road along the rail in 2000. According to Congolese sources, an agreement with a Chinese building firm was signed in summer 2006, according to which the aforementioned company will finance the restoration of the way, rolling stock, of the transportation route, indication and electrical energy. The ONATRA chooses an aggressive marketing policy to start again the rail.

The Bridge of Matadi, the largest suspended railway bridge of the world, is not currently exploited for the railroad. There in addition exists a vague creation project of a Pont between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, for which a railway option could be retained, and would make it possible to connect Kinshasa for the first time with a deep water port of Point-Black (Congo-Brazza).

Lines of Katanga, Kasaï and Benguela

This résau extends on 3.641 kilometers from railways (including 858 kilometers electrified) with the Katanga, to the Kasaï-Westerner, the Kasaï-Eastern and the Maniema. Its spacing is in way course of 3 ½ feet (42 pouces/1067 mm). These lines are exploited today by the National company of Ways DER Congolese iron SNCC.
  • Ligne of the Big lakes: Second section of Kindu - Kabalo - Kalemie (Lake Tanganyika). This line is connected to that first section by a service river of 320 kilometers. The 355 kilometers of Kindu with Kongolo were built between 1907 and 1910 by the Compagnie of the Railroad of Congo Supérieur than the African big lakes (CFL), the 273 kilometers of Kabalo with Kalemie ( Albertville at the time) between 1911 and 1917, always by the CFL. The hole between Kongolo and Kabalo was closed only between 1937 and 1939. This network was in track metric gauge and put at broader spacing in 1955 for connection with the network of Katanga.
  • Line of Katanga: Kabalo - Kamina - Likasi - Lubumbashi - Sakania - Zambia. This line was built between 1909 and 1918 of Sakania with Bukama and 1952 to 1956 between Kamina and Kabalo by the Compagnie of the Railroad of Low Congo with Katanga (BCK).
  • Line of Kasaï: Ilebo ( Port Franqui at the time) - Kamina. This line was built between 1923 and 1928 (as of Bukama) by the Railroad Léopoldville-Katanga-Dilolo (LKD).
  • Railroad of Benguela: Kamina - Dilolo - Angola (Railroad of Benguela) This line was built between 1928 and 1931 (as of Tenke to the border) by the BCK.
  • a line between the lakes Kivu and Tanganika was open in 1931 by Céfaki (Railroad of Kivu) between Kalundu and Kamaniola. The second part until Bukavu never was built and the line closed in 1958. It was in way course (3 ½ feet), to be just in the English line " Cape - Caire".

Line of the Big lakes

The first section is between Kisangani and Ubundu. Its spacing is of 1,00 meter. The second section Kindu - Kabalo - Kalemie (Lake Tanganika) is related to the network of Katanga, to see above. This line of 127 kilometers at summer built between 1903 and 1906 by the CFL to divert the important water falls of Stanley Falls.

Lines local of Mayumbe and Uélé

Other lines existed and are currently unexploited, whose Railroad of Mayombe (towards north with Tshela at the beginning of Boma), 140 kilometers length builds in stages between 1898 and 1914 by the Société of the Secondary lines of Mayumbe . The line was dismantled in 1984. The Railroad of Uele (or Vicicongo ), on the basis of Bumba towards Bondo and Mungbere. The last section seems to be in service between Aketi and Isiro with a train all both or three months. This résau was built between 1924 and 1937 by the Secondary lines of Congo and adds up 842 kilometers. It includes/understands the lines Aketi- Mungbere (685 km), Komba - Bondo (121 km) and Liénart - Titule (31 km).

History of the railroads in Congo

The Railroad of Katanga (CFK), founded in 1902, is exploited by the Railroad of Low-Congo in Katanga (BCK) since its creation in 1906. In 1952 the CFK and the Railroad Léopoldville-Katanga-Dilolo (LKD), create into 1927 amalgamate by creating the Railroad of Katanga-Dilolo-Léopolville (KDL). At the time of the indépendence, the railroads were nationalized. Congolese company KDL (become Railroad Kinshasa-Dilolo-Lubumbashi ) take again the Congolese BCK. In 1974 Congo joins together its companies of railroads KDL, CFL, (become Congolese Office of the Railroads of the Big lakes ), CVZ ( Secondary lines of Zaire ), CFMK. ( Railroad Matadi-Kinshasa ) and CFM ( Railroad of Mayombe ) in National company of the Railroads Zairean (SNCZ). In November 1995 the SNCZ is dissolved and Congo signs a master agreement yielding the exploitation of the ways of cer to a privately held company called SIZARAIL of the group sudafricain Comazar/Transnet which was dissolved in 1997 by breaking the contract by the government. The SNCZ, become National company of the railroads of Congo (SNCC) takes again all the activities.

River transport and maritime

The network inland waterways is a 16.238 km length subdivided in three levels:
  • the maritime, long level 150 km of Banana with Matadi;
  • the average level including/understanding the river Congo (Kinshasa - Kisangani), the river
Kasaï and their affluents add up 13.458 km.
  • the upper race including/understanding Lualaba (Congo river in Katanga) and the Lakes adds up 2.630 km.

River ports

  • Port of Kinshasa - ONATRA
  • Port of Ilebo - SNCC
  • Share of Kalemie - SNCC
  • Port of Kisangani - ONATRA
  • Port of Mbandaka - ONATRA
  • Port of Ubundu
  • Port of Kindu CFL

Seaports

Air transport

The country exploits has approximately 270 airports and aerodromes whose management is ensured by the Control of the Air Routes (VAN), by the Management of the Civil aviation (DAC) and by the private sector. On the 270 airport platforms, 101 is opened with public circulation, 164 are deprived and 5 of the military field.

Airports: 229 (2002), 232 (1999 are.)

Asphalted airports


total: 24
with more than 3.047 m: 4
from 2.438 to 3.047 m: 2
from 1.524 to 2.437 m: 16
from 914 to 1.523 m: 2 (2002 are.)

Not asphalted airports


total: 205
from 1.524 to 2.437 m: 19
from 914 to 1.523 m: 95
under 914 m: 91 (2002 are.)

Lake and river network

  • lake network of the Lake Tanganika representing 1.425 kilometers. It connects the Democratic republic of Congo to the Zambia, the Tanzania and the Burundi;

  • lake network of the Lac Kivu connecting Bukavu to Gummed (106 kilometers),
  • river system of Kindu to Ubundu (310 kilometers) and of Kongolo to Malemba-Nkulu (390 kilometers).
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See too

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