Kasumbalesa is located in Haut-Katanga Province, approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi), south-east of Lubumbashi, the provincial headquarters.[2] The geographical coordinates of Kasumbalesa are: 12°15'23.0"S, 27°48'10.0"E (Latitude:-12.256389; Longitude:27.802778).[3] Kasumbalesa sits at an average elevation of 1,420 metres (4,659 ft) above sea level.[4]
Population
The national census, conducted on 1 July 1984, enumerated the population of the town at 31,773 people. As of 1 July 2004, the town's population was estimated at 47,213.[5]
The 1984 census data is sourced from the National Institute of Statistics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[5]
Kasumbalesa is a major crossing point for both human traffic and cargo for both Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. It is the main conduit of trade that amounted to US$575 million that DR Congo imported from Zambia compared to US$1.7 billion that Zambia imported from its northern neighbor, based on 2015 data.[6] An average of over 500 long-haul cargo trucks are cleared daily in each direction.[1] In April 2019, the traffic at the border crossing snarled, leading to congestion on both sides of the border.[7]
