Why Lubumbashi
Lubumbashi, formerly known as Élisabethville, is the second-largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the administrative capital of the Haut-Katanga Province. Situated in the far southeastern corner of the country near the border with Zambia, the city rests at an elevation of roughly 1,208 meters above sea level. This high altitude serves to cool the climate, resulting in a dry-winter humid subtropical environment characterized by warm, rainy summers and pleasant, dry winters.
Established in 1910 during Belgian colonial rule, the settlement developed rapidly around the regional copper mining industry and major transport infrastructure. It briefly served as the capital of the secessionist state of Katanga in the early 1960s and later functioned as the country's legislative capital from 1999 to 2003. Today, Lubumbashi is a principal commercial and industrial hub, hosting the headquarters of major mining companies focused on copper, cobalt, zinc, tin, and coal. Additional local industries include textile manufacturing, food and beverage production, brickmaking, and printing.
Visitors to Lubumbashi can explore several cultural institutions and outdoor sites across the city. The National Museum of Lubumbashi presents regional archaeological and ethnological collections, while the citywide Biennale of Lubumbashi highlights contemporary art from regional creators every two years. Cinematic entertainment is available at Ciné Bétamax, and outdoor spaces include the local botanical garden as well as recreational areas on the city outskirts, such as Muyambo Park and the Mikembo complex.
One of the city's most visited attractions is the Zoo of Lubumbashi. Created during the colonial period and later rehabilitated by a non-profit organization for education and heritage protection, the facility houses lions, tigers, primates, crocodilians, snakes, ostriches, and gazelles. The site also features a restaurant, a veterinary center, and a specialized termite museum.
Lubumbashi is accessible via Lubumbashi International Airport and is connected by road along Transafrican Highway 9, which links to Kolwezi and Lusaka. It also serves as a central railway hub connecting to destinations such as Tenke and Sakania. While French is the official language, Kingwana—a regional dialect of Kiswahili—is the dominant spoken lingua franca alongside various indigenous languages.
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