[kin-shah-suh, kin-shah-suh] 
| a port in and capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the NW part, on the Congo (Zaire) River. 1,990,717. |
[kong-goh] | 1. | People's Republic of the, a republic in central Africa, W of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: formerly an overseas territory in French Equatorial Africa; now an independent member of the French Community. 2,583,198; 132,046 sq. mi. (341,999 sq. km). Capital: Brazzaville. Formerly, French Congo, Middle Congo. |
| 2. | Democratic Republic of the. Formerly, Zaire (1971–97), Democratic Republic of the Congo (1960–71), Belgian Congo (1908–60), Congo Free State (1885–1908). a republic in central Africa: a former Belgian colony; gained independence 1960. 47,440,362; 905,568 sq. mi. (2,345,410 sq. km). Capital: Kinshasa. |
| 3. | Also called Zaire. a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from SE Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. ab. 3000 mi. (4800 km) long. |
| 4. | Kongo. |
| Kin·sha·sa (kĭn-shä'sə) The capital and largest city of Congo (formerly Zaire), in the western part of the country on the Congo River. Founded in 1881 by the explorer Henry M. Stanley, who named it after his patron, Leopold II of Belgium, it became capital of the Belgian Congo in 1926 and was the scene of the revolt (June 1960) that led to Congo's independence. In 1966 its name was changed to Kinshasa, after the name of an early village that occupied the site. Population: 7,270,000. |
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