Isiro
Provincial capital and city
Ville d'Isiro
Isiro, circa 1942
Isiro is located in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Isiro
Isiro
Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates: 2°46′N 27°37′E / 2.767°N 27.617°E / 2.767; 27.617
Country DR Congo
ProvinceHaut-Uele
CommunesKupa, Mambaya, Mendambo
Government
 • MayorGuillaume Lola[1]
Elevation
730 m (2,400 ft)
Population
 (2012)
 • Total182,900
Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)
ClimateAf
National languageFrench, Lingala and Pa-Zande (Zande language)

Isiro (pronounced [iˈsiro]) is the capital of Haut-Uele Province in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies between the equatorial forest and the savannah and its main resource is coffee. Isiro's population is estimated at approximately 182,000.[2] Most people speak, Pa-Zande (Zande language), Lingala, Swahili and which is somehow uncommon.

History

Isiro was named Paulis after colonel, later diplomat, Albert Paulis when it was part of the Belgian Congo. The city was developed in 1934 and reached its peak in 1957.[3] In the troubled days of Congo's independence and its aftermath, operation Black Dragoon brought fighting between Belgian paratroopers and local Simba militias.

In 1998, Isiro became the home of a newly created Dominican-operated university called Université d'Uélé. It is the third city in Orientale province (after Kisangani and Bunia) to welcome a university.

Transport

Isiro is served by Matari Airport, a national airport with flights to Kinshasa, the capital. The isolated narrow gauge Vicicongo line to the river port of Bumba on the Congo River is not currently operational. The dirt roads to and from Isiro allow commercial trade with Uganda and South Sudan, in principle, but may be impassable in the wet season. 02°47′N 27°37′E / 2.783°N 27.617°E / 2.783; 27.617

People

Isiro is the birthplace of Marie Daulne, Leader of the group Zap Mama.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Haut-Uele : le nouveau maire d'Isiro prend officiellement ses fonctions" (in French). Agence congolaise de presse (ACP). 1 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  2. ↑ 2004 Urban Population map of the Democratic Republic of Congo
  3. ↑ Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Université d'Uélé (in French). Accessed November 4, 2006.
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