Bolomba Territory

Bolomba Territory is an administrative area in Équateur Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[1] The headquarters is the town of Bolomba.^[2] It is located northeast of the provincial capital of Mbandaka. Its main waterway is the Ikelemba River^[3] which is navigable down to the Congo River.^[4]

Bolomba Territory
territory
Bolomba Territory Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates: 00°21′02″N 19°13′49″E
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Province	Équateur Province
Area
• Total	24,598 km2 (9,497 sq mi)
Population
• Languages	Lomongo Lingombe French
Time zone	UTC+1 (West Africa Time)

History

The territory of Bolomba was included in the Équateur District when the Congo Free State was established, annexed by Belgium in 1908,^[5] and passed into Équateur Province in 1917.^[6][7] In the reorganizations of 1962, 1966 and 2015 it remained in the core Équateur area.^[8]

Administrative subdivisions

Bolomba Territory is divided into five administrative divisions or "sectors":

Dianga, with 4 sub-groupings (groupements) and 46 villages ;

Mampoko, with 3 sub-groupings (groupements) and 43 villages ;

Bolomba, with 7 sub-groupings (groupements) and 112 villages ;

Busira, with 6 sub-groupings (groupements) and 78 villages ; and

Losanganya, with 4 sub-groupings (groupements) and 113 villages.

Geography and climate

The Bolomba Territory is mainly evergreen deciduous forest, except where it has been clear-cut.^[9] The area is low-lying with respect to the Ikelemba River and is subject to either regular annual inundation or flooding in wet years.^[10]

Ethnology

Bolomba is primarily inhabited by Bantu tribes of the Mongo and the western branch of the Ngombe (water-people),^[11][12] with some dependent pygmy communities known as "Balumbe".^[11][13] The Mongo there are divided into the Eleku and the Baenga.^[11] The predominant languages are Lomongo and Lingombe.^[11] The primary occupation is fishing.