Katanga

Katanga, administrative region, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, formerly Zaire), bordered by Tanzania on the east, Zambia on the east and south, and Angola on the west; it was known as Shaba from 1972 to 1997. The region is rich in both agricultural and mineral resources. In the eastern part of the region are large reserves of copper, cobalt, uranium, cadmium, tin, gold, silver, and other minerals. The capital is Lubumbashi; other important cities include Kamina, Kolwezi, and Likasi (Jadotville). Copper was mined here for centuries before the Belgians took control of the region in the 1880s. When the Congo (now the DRC) gained independence in 1960, Katanga seceded under the leadership of a president, Moise Tshombe. After much internal strife Katanga was, with the aid of United Nations troops, reunited (1963) with the Congo. In 1977 and 1978 the region was invaded by Angola-based separatist troops; forces from Belgium, France, and various African countries restored order by mid-1978. Area, 496,965 sq km (191,879 sq mi); population 3,874,019