Gombe, Kinshasa

Gombe (formerly known as Kalina), also known as La Gombe, or Downtown Kinshasa, is one of the 24 communes of Kinshasa, in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Encompassing a vast area of approximately 29.33 square kilometers (11.32 square miles), it is home to an approximate population of 89,080 residents (2015). It is bounded by the Congo River to the north and east, separating it from Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo, while the communes of Barumbu, Kinshasa, Lingwala, and Bandalungwa lie to the south, and Ngaliema and Kintambo to the west. Functioning as both a residential area and a central business district, Gombe houses several key government institutions of the DRC, including the Palais de la Nation, the Central Bank of the Congo, various ministries, media organizations, and diplomatic representations. Gombe serves as the epicenter for the DRC's leading financial establishments, the hub of its business activities, and the headquarters of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). Originally housing colonial administrative offices, cités indigènes, neighborhoods meant for non-colonists, formed around the area. Now it is Kinshasa's fastest-growing commune. According to a 2014 study by the U.S. research firm Mercer, Gombe is one of the most expensive places to live in Africa. Development has increased significantly following 2015 with many new buildings being constructed near Avenue de Colonel Tshatshi including Le Premier, the Kinshasa Financial Center, Galeries la Fontaine, and the Galleria Mall.