Mbandaka
Mbandaka | |
|---|---|
Provincial capital and city | |
| Ville de Mbandaka | |
Commercial center of Mbandaka, 2008 | |
Location in the Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| Coordinates: 0°02′52″N 18°15′21″E / 0.04778°N 18.25583°E | |
| Country | DR Congo |
| Province | Équateur Province |
| Founded | 1883 |
| City status | 1958 |
| Communes | Mbandaka, Wangata |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yves Balo |
| Area | |
• City | 460 km2 (180 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 370 m (1,210 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
• City | 1,187,837 |
| • Density | 2,600/km2 (6,700/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 376,000 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (West Africa Time) |
Mbandaka (pronounced [mbaˈnda.ka], formerly known as Coquilhatville in French, or Coquilhatstad in Dutch) is a city in the Democratic Republic of Congo located near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki rivers. It is the capital of Équateur Province.
The city was founded in 1883 by British explorer Henry Morton Stanley under the name Équateurville.
The headquarters of the Fourth Naval Region of the Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are located in the city.