Katanga

Region of the Democratic Republic of Congo; area 496,965 sq km/191,879 sq mi; population (1991 est) 5,207,000. It is one of the world's most important mining districts, producing copper, cobalt, tin, manganese, and zinc concentrates. The region's main town is Lubumbashi (formerly Elisabethville).

Katanga contains 10% of the world's copper and 50% of the world's cobalt resources. Kamina, Likasi and Kolwezi are important mining centres. The region played a major role in the civil war which broke out in the Congo after Belgian colonial rule ended in June 1960. It was the most politically and economically advanced of all the provinces and in July 1960, under the leadership of Moise Tshombe, it seceded from the new republic, calling itself the republic of Katanga until forcibly reintegrated into the Congo, with UN assistance, in January 1962. Subsequently Katanga again exercised a dominant influence when Tshombe became premier of the Congo 1964-65.