Banana, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Encyclopedia
Banana is a small seaport in Bas-Congo
province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
on the Atlantic
coast. The port is situated in Banana Creek, an inlet about 1 km wide on the north bank of the Congo River's
mouth, separated from the ocean by a spit of land 3 km long and 100 to 400 m wide. The port is located on the creek side of the spit, which shelters it from the ocean. It is about 8 km south-east of Muanda
and connected by a paved road running along the coast.
arrived at Banana in 1879 at the start of an exploratory expedition funded by Léopold II of Belgium
. Following the Conference of Berlin (1884-85) the European powers recognized Léopold's claim to the Congo basin, and in a ceremony (1885) at Banana, the king announced the establishment of the Congo Free State
, headed by himself, beginning the period of European colonization. Banana was the main Belgian naval base of the Congo until independence in 1960.
The bitter civil wars of the 1990s reached Banana, but details are scarce. One CNN report in 1998 records a battle between Kabila loyalists and Rwandan-backed rebels. The town reportedly fell to the rebels, and two foreign employees of the Chevron oil
company were captured. http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9808/06/congo.01/
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 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...
on the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast. The port is situated in Banana Creek, an inlet about 1 km wide on the north bank of the Congo River's
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...
mouth, separated from the ocean by a spit of land 3 km long and 100 to 400 m wide. The port is located on the creek side of the spit, which shelters it from the ocean. It is about 8 km south-east of 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 connected by a paved road running along the coast.
Facilities
The port of Banana consists of one wharf of 75 m and depth 5.18 m, with two small cranes for cargo handling, and a few small jetties. The port has an oil terminal 4 km further upriver, to which tankers discharge while at anchor in the creek. The terminal has a quite separate road access east of Muanda. There are no facilities in Banana apart from the port, since these are provided by the much larger town of Muanda, where the nearest airport is located. There is no rail link.History
The town was developed as a port in the 19th century, largely as part of the Slave trade. Henry Morton StanleyHenry 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...
arrived at Banana in 1879 at the start of an exploratory expedition funded by Léopold II of Belgium
Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
. Following the Conference of Berlin (1884-85) the European powers recognized Léopold's claim to the Congo basin, and in a ceremony (1885) at Banana, the king announced the establishment of the Congo Free State
Congo Free State
The Congo Free State was a large area in Central Africa which was privately controlled by Leopold II, King of the Belgians. Its origins lay in Leopold's attracting scientific, and humanitarian backing for a non-governmental organization, the Association internationale africaine...
, headed by himself, beginning the period of European colonization. Banana was the main Belgian naval base of the Congo until independence in 1960.
The bitter civil wars of the 1990s reached Banana, but details are scarce. One CNN report in 1998 records a battle between Kabila loyalists and Rwandan-backed rebels. The town reportedly fell to the rebels, and two foreign employees of the Chevron oil
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
company were captured. http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/9808/06/congo.01/
General references
- Google Earth — high resolution view of the port, with wharf at coordinates -6.0123 12.4030, oil terminal -5.9813 12.4185. Retrieved 25 May 2007.
- Port Information