Quick facts
Kananga overview
Kananga (orange) and the other large cities of DR Congo
Kananga lies in Kasai-Central in DR Congo at 5.9°S, 22.42°E, about 643 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Lubumbashi (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Kisangani (1,602,144) and larger than Bukavu (816,811). The largest city in DR Congo is Kinshasa with 16,000,000 people; the capital, Kinshasa, has 16,000,000.
The national capital, Kinshasa, is about 806 km away; the nearest large city is Mbuji-Mayi, 132 km from Kananga.
DR Congo as a whole has a live population of 117,501,247 (+3.1% a year) and ranks #15 of 238 countries — see the DR Congo population page for the full statistics and the DR Congo atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kananga
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mbuji-Mayi East Kasai | 132 km | 2,101,332 |
| Mwene-Ditu Lomami | 169 km | 189,177 |
| Tshikapa Kasai | 188 km | 634,529 |
| Gandajika Lomami | 194 km | 208,051 |
Largest cities in DR Congo
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KinshasaCapital | Kinshasa | 16,000,000 |
| 2 | Lubumbashi | Haut-Katanga | 2,221,925 |
| 3 | Mbuji-Mayi | East Kasai | 2,101,332 |
| 4 | Kisangani | Tshopo | 1,602,144 |
| 5 | Kananga | Kasai-Central | 1,271,704 |
| 6 | Bukavu | South Kivu | 816,811 |
| 7 | Kolwezi | Lualaba | 790,248 |
| 8 | Likasi | Haut-Katanga | 635,768 |
| 9 | Tshikapa | Kasai | 634,529 |
| 10 | Kikwit | Kwilu | 509,367 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kananga?
Kananga has about 1,271,704 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kananga the capital of DR Congo?
No. The capital of DR Congo is Kinshasa (16,000,000 people), about 806 km away. Kananga is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Kananga compared with the rest of DR Congo?
Its 1,271,704 residents are 1.1% of the 117,501,247 people living in DR Congo today. Kinshasa is larger with 16,000,000 people.
Where is Kananga?
In Kasai-Central, DR Congo, at latitude -5.9 and longitude 22.42, 643 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Mbuji-Mayi (132 km), Mwene-Ditu (169 km), Tshikapa (188 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kananga Population 2026 — DR Congo. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/dr-congo/kananga/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/dr-congo/kananga/">Kananga Population 2026 — DR Congo</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.