http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg/1000px-Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo_%28orthographic_projection%29.svg.png

The DRC is a huge country in central Africa. Despite it's gigantic area, it has only a narrow strip of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean.

The DRC is an infrastructural black-hole. Since the Belgians left in 1960, time, weather and conflict took its toll on the roads. Theoretically there is a Route Nationale and Route Regional network that consist of 150,000 kilometers of road, however only around 2,200 kilometer of road is paved. Many Route Nationales are no more than almost impassable dirt tracks, even between large cities.

I'll show some N1 pictures next.

Route Nationale 1: Matadi - Kinshasa - Kananga - Lubumbashi - border with Zambia

A photo impression of almost 3,000 kilometers of N1, as far as you can speak of a "road" in some sections. The western route from Matadi to Kinshasa is reportedly paved, and paving should be underway for the remaining sections from Kinshasa to Kikwit. The rest until Lubumbashi is mostly unpaved, even within the vicinity of Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi, two major cities halfway the route. The southernmost section from Likasi to Lubumbashi is mostly paved.

1. N1 Matadi - Kinshasa, just outside Kinshasa
http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/622/rn1kinshasamatadi.jpg

2. N1 south of Kinshasa
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1694/rn1kinshasamatadi2.jpg

3. The N1 in Kinshasa, running near the airport. This route is one of the most modern in the country, and is sometimes called an "Autoroute".
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/6558/rn1kinshasa.jpg

4. N1 in 1996 between Kinshasa and Kikwit.
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/6643/rnzaire.jpg

5. A paved section of N1 between Kinshasa and Kikwit.
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2534/rn1kinshasakikwit.jpg

6. N1 west of Kikwit.
http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/956/rn1kinshasakikwit2.jpg

7. N1 east of Kananga.
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/1192/rn1kananga.jpg

8. N1 between the major cities Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi.
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/8535/rn1kananga2.jpg

9. N1 just outside Mbuji-Mayi.
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7765/rn1kanaga3.jpg

10. N1 about 200 km north of Lubumbashi.
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/4746/rn1lubumbashi1.jpg

11. N1 in Likasi, about 120 km north of Lubumbashi.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8659/rn1likasi.jpg

12. It seems to be a paved route from Likasi to Lubumbashi.
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5504/rn1likasi2.jpg

13. Likasi - Lubumbashi.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/6159/rn1likasilubumbashi.jpg

14. Lubumbashi, the second largest city in the DRC.
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/599/rn1lubumbashi2.jpg

15. N1, Kasumbalesa, border with Zambia.
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/2024/rn1kasumbalesa.jpg

7. N1 east of Kananga.
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/1192/rn1kananga.jpg

8. N1 between the major cities Kananga and Mbuji-Mayi.
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/8535/rn1kananga2.jpg

9. N1 just outside Mbuji-Mayi.
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/7765/rn1kanaga3.jpg

Mbuji-Mayi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mbuji-Mayi) is said to be home to three million people (OK, the incredibly short Wikipedia article says 2.3m in 2007, but I'm pretty sure I've seen 3m elsewhere). The nearest railroad passes about 120km to the southeast of the city and is accessible via only one paved road running south from Mbuji-Mayi to Mwene-Ditu. There is no navigable waterway. To me, the isolation of Mbuji-Mayi is truly mind boggling. In fairness, Mbuji-Mayi's economy is based on the mining of industrial diamonds, which are best shipped by air, and the city's population has swelled massively as refugees from the nation's horrifying civil wars have relocated there. Still, it's easy to imagine that a proper paved road connecting Mbuji-Mayi with its not-too-distant neighbors (Kananga is 177km away) would transform the nation's economy.

Here's a status map of the N1 project, taken from this informative thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=967480). The work is being done largely by the Chinese, who will take payment ($5b!) in exported minerals. Parts of the new N1 are to have four lanes, including the Kananga-Mbuji-Mayi segment, and a railroad extension connecting the river port of Ilebo to Kinshasa and thence via the existing railroad to the Atlantic port of Matadi is part of the deal. Red is already paved, green is in progress and near completion, blue is "to be launched."
http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/bukavu21/MAPS/democratic-republic-of-congo-map-13.jpg

Map from the Wikipedia article about transport in the DRC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo):
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Congo_Transport_Map_75pc.PNG/686px-Congo_Transport_Map_75pc.PNG

i don't know if half of the pics you posted can be called roads :)

i don't know if half of the pics you posted can be called roads :)

Indeed. The Wikipedia article states: "UNJLC reports that, although the road network is theoretically divided into four categories (national roads, priority regional roads, secondary regional roads and local roads), this classification is of little practical use because some roads simply do not exist. For example, National Road 9 is not operational and cannot be detected by remote sensing methods."

Here's a status map of the N1 project, taken from this informative thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=967480). The work is being done largely by the Chinese, who will take payment ($5b!) in exported minerals. Parts of the new N1 are to have four lanes, including the Kananga-Mbuji-Mayi segment, and a railroad extension connecting the river port of Ilebo to Kinshasa and thence via the existing railroad to the Atlantic port of Matadi is part of the deal. Red is already paved, green is in progress and near completion, blue is "to be launched."
That's good news. Congo really needs to build a road network (I don't say "improve", because they need to build it from scratch). Since the Congolese can't do it themselves, and since Western countries would charge too much for it, it's a good thing the Chinese are doing it. Hopefully they will also maintain the roads, so they don't disappear in just 10 years with the equatorial climate and lack of maintenance.

The 722m (2,369 ft) long Matadi Bridge (formerly Pont Maréchal, as in Maréchal Mobutu, and now simply called Pont Matadi), over the Congo River, at the level of Matadi. It is the bridge on the Congo River closest to its mouth in the ocean, downstream from Kinshasa. It was built from 1979 to 1983. I bet none of you guys imagined such a beauty existed in Congo. ;)

http://i48.tinypic.com/9j1278.jpg

http://i46.tinypic.com/16a3dc7.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/25ur5oi.jpg

http://i47.tinypic.com/htfrer.jpg

^^ I knew about it. :) It's a very important link, from Kinshasa to the deepwater coastal ports. The road running from Matadi to the coast is very indirect, though, I presume because there are swamps alongside the Congo River that would make a more direct route too expensive.

From what I've read, I think the proposed Kinshasa-Brazzaville road-rail bridge (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1068311) would be a very good idea since it would give rail access to the existing port of Pointe Noire and promote economic intergration with Congo-Brazzaville.

It is the bridge on the Congo River closest to its mouth in the ocean, downstream from Kinshasa

Is there any other bridge spanning the Congo? Not even at Bangui.

Indeed. The Wikipedia article states: "UNJLC reports that, although the road network is theoretically divided into four categories (national roads, priority regional roads, secondary regional roads and local roads), this classification is of little practical use because some roads simply do not exist. For example, National Road 9 is not operational and cannot be detected by remote sensing methods."

It has to be noted that N9 is an unimportant road, even by western standards. It connects N1 with N17 at Bagata, but other than the town of Bagata, it doesn't serve any towns of importance. It is visible as a dirt road on Google Earth though.

Is there any other bridge spanning the Congo? Not even at Bangui.
There is one at Kongolo, 2,000 km upstream from the Pont Matadi:
http://i50.tinypic.com/sxji4y.jpg

There is another one at Zofu, 10 km upstream from Kabalo:
http://i48.tinypic.com/1z23jlt.jpg

http://i48.tinypic.com/hu3bqh.jpg

A toll road with a gare de péage (toll station) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Who would have thought! :eek:

http://i48.tinypic.com/286tox4.jpg

It doesn't seem to be too weird, most of Sudan's major routes (there aren't many) are tolled as well. Same in Cameroon.

Road infrastructure in the DRC is basically non existant, transportation of goods in done mainly by the congo river, air travel and an incomplete rail system. It can takes months to move goods across 1 000 km in the same country.

We are building from scratch, there is no government money, the challenges are huge. Here is an example of the types of joint projects with the chinese is going. This bridge has actually now opened, I can't locate new pictures of it but this is the construction stage.

Name: Luange Bridge (Pont Luange)

Location: On the river Luange between Bandundu and West Kasai (400+ km east of Kinshasa)

Construction cost: 36 Million USD

Funding: Central Government and Chinese cooperation

Contractor: Sino-Hydro (http://eng.sinohydro.com/en/index.asp) (Chinese)

Length: 450 meters

Capacity: 50 tons

Jobs created: 1 000 jobs

Other: The bridge will link the province of Bandundu and Kasai Occidental, reinforced concrete and iron disk, expected Bridge lifespan minimum 100 years

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/1.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/2.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/3.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/4.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/5.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/6.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/7.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/8.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/9.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/10.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/11.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/12.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/13.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/14.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/15.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/16.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/17.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/18.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/19.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/21.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/20.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/23.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/24.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/25.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/26.jpg

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/preme3000/Luange%20Bridge/27.jpg

I just saw this picture of the N20, part of the Trans-African Highway
http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/773384.jpg

The N19 Route de Bagata

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/6530002.jpg

The R307 in central Congo

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/16475889.jpg

The road from Kinshasa to Kikwit. The road marking looks very French.

http://i45.tinypic.com/4njpe.jpg

http://i50.tinypic.com/2zi253q.jpg

Dowtown Bukavu. Courtesy Radio Okapi & kaps


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4324550979_6c5e73f3ac.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/2lt0cu8.jpg

http://i40.tinypic.com/1z50niq.jpg

Newly refurbished road section in Kinshasa, I think the final strech is 10-15km, work was completed by Native and Chinese hands.

Courtesy of kaps76, Screenshotartist, Butembo.

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7435/kinshasapl6.jpg (http://img293.imageshack.us/i/kinshasapl6.jpg/)

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/5157/kinshasapl3.jpg (http://img268.imageshack.us/i/kinshasapl3.jpg/)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs299.snc3/28608_125112820849208_100000514729721_244865_6043886_n.jpg

http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/bukavu21/KINSHASA/king-15.jpg

^^ Looks nice ;)

Hopefully they'll install some traffic lights as well. 8 lane roads without traffic lights are quite hazardous for crossing traffic or pedestrians.

Hopefully they'll install some traffic lights as well. 8 lane roads without traffic lights are quite hazardous for crossing traffic or pedestrians.

Somewhere in the Congo forums I found and watched an hour-long video that was mostly driving around Kinshasa, and I didn't see a single functioning traffic light. :ohno:

Several important boulevards are being widened in Kinshasa:
Here are some of the Major Boulevards and Avenues that are currently being widened.

http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/bukavu21/MAPS/Kinshasa-1.gif


Red Line on top , Boulevard du 30 Juin. 8 km long being widened to 2x3 and 2x4.

Red Line on South East. Lumumba Boulevard; 15 km long, from 2x2 to 2x3 and 2x4 in some areas.


I wish that the opportunity could be taken to include a Rea Vaya-type BRT system on some or all of these corridors.

an example of the type of changes that is taking place, this is a rehabilitation of a road in the North kivu province

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9JXO0SRZnE/TDiriISLSRI/AAAAAAAACVI/SRBy73Cb_ks/s1600/Picture+241.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9JXO0SRZnE/TDiql4ffZKI/AAAAAAAACVA/bYZf0Jfdcto/s1600/Picture+243.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Q9JXO0SRZnE/TDiriISLSRI/AAAAAAAACVI/SRBy73Cb_ks/s1600/Picture+241.jpg


That road is in pretty good shape, for one that's not paved. I've seen worse in Virginia! (But any road that people travel on to get somewhere, rather than driving there for the sake of driving on a dirt road through the mountains, is paved)

Is there a complete list of projects chinese firms are conducting in DRC?

Majevčan,

To answer your question, this map gives you an insight into the enormous challenges involved in building up the country's infrastructure. Note, the "Chinese corridor" in green is were basically all the works is taking place.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_AzvsuUf-VtQ/TEzshhqisEI/AAAAAAAAAD0/1RHsUuDvqeE/s1600/Le+Monde+Diplomatique+Map+Philippe+Rekacewicz.gif

Roadworks that were to be completed as part of the Chineses contracts

-- Reconstruction of Kwango-Lufumi section on national highway No. 1 in Bandundu;
-- Reconstruction of Nsele-Lufimi section on national No. 1 in Kinshasa and Bandundu;
-- Reconstruction of Kwango-Kenge section on national highway No. 1 in Bandundu;
-- Construction of the highway Lubumbashi-Kasumbalesa, in Katanga ;
-- construction of Likasi-Kolwezi road, in Katanga ;
-- Construction of Lubumbashi-Kasumeno-Kasenga road in Katanga ;
--Construction and tarring of the road Kasindi, Beni, Bunia-Niania in Nord Kivu and Eastern Province ;
-- Construction of the road Boma-Matadi, in Bas-Congo;
-- Widening of the Highway Boma-Matadi, in Bas-Congo;
-- Rehabilitation of the road Muanda-Boma, in Bas-Congo;
-- Rehabilitation of the road Kavumu-Bukavu in Sud Kivu;
-- Reopening of the road Kalemie-Nyunzu-Kabalo-Manono-Mituaba-Likasi in Katanga;
-- Rehabilitation of the road Bukavu-Kasongo in Sud Kivu and Maniema;
-- Rehabilitation of the road Kananga-Mbujimayi-Kabinda-Kasongo in Maniema and Eastern Kasai;
-- Rehabilitation of the road Kasongo-Kindu in Maniema;
-- Reopening of the road Kisangani-Banalia-Buta Aketi-Bunduki-Bumba and Bulia-Bondo in Equateur and Eastern province;
-- Reopening of the road Akula-Gemena-Mbari and Boyabo-Zongo in Equateur;
-- Reopening of the road Lisala-Bumba in Equateur;
-- Reopening of the road Mongata-Bandundu-Nioki-Bikoro in Bandundu and Equateur;
-- Rehabilitation of the roadBatshamba-Loange River ang Bridge construction;
-- Reopening of the road Kananga-Benadibele-Lodja;
-- Rehabilitation of the road Niania-Isiro

Kaps from the Kongo sub forum recently came back from holiday in Kinshasa and came back with some recordings he has made of the Congo/Chinese roadworks.

Here is a pic pf the completed expansion of the boulevard triomphale that was extended to a 4x4 and now meets Avenue de Liberation.

http://i38.tinypic.com/1zg3hg0.jpg

A couple of videos I made, driving in Kin at night.

HXY-txynZ00

mX21b--697I

hJlDag1km2Y

The road from Kinshasa to Kikwit. The road marking looks very French.
Considering the country is a former French colony, I'm not surprised.

Interesting pics. It's not often one gets to look at infrastructure from the African continent.

Considering the country is a former French colony, I'm not surprised.

It was Belgian actually.

Considering the country is a former French colony, I'm not surprised.
What is now called as "Democratic Republic", former Zaire (cap.: Kinshasa) was Belgian colony. What is now called as "Republic of Congo" (cap.: Brazzaville) was the French one.

@preme3000
thanks for the effort.

Nice developments on the roads. A highway from Kinshasa to the "Tristate area of Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda would be the most economically reward in my thoughts.

The road from Kinshasa to Kikwit. The road marking looks very French.


This road ( Route National 1.). Supervised by French Company SOGEA SATOM along side Congo's SAFRICAS and Chinese SINOHYDRO .

But your right Congo road are marked like France's.

Nice developments on the roads. A highway from Kinshasa to the "Tristate area of Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda would be the most economically reward in my thoughts.

I'd agree with Uganda, less so the other two. Especially so if the union between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania goes ahead. I firmly believe that the new union would alongside with South Africa, be one of the most affluent and prosperous nations on the continent.

If the DRC can get their act together as a neighbour they could benefit greatly from the new union via imports and exports.

The 722m (2,369 ft) long Matadi Bridge (formerly Pont Maréchal, as in Maréchal Mobutu, and now simply called Pont Matadi), over the Congo River, at the level of Matadi. It is the bridge on the Congo River closest to its mouth in the ocean, downstream from Kinshasa. It was built from 1979 to 1983. I bet none of you guys imagined such a beauty existed in Congo. ;)

http://i48.tinypic.com/9j1278.jpg




Very impressive.

I didn't imagine a such bridge in RDC.

Hey, Chris, is this thread a joke?

No offence to my friends in Congo, but I don't think there is much to discuss here. :)

If you feel that is the case, would it not have been better for you to ignore the thread?
Chris deemed it fit to open a thread so either support it or stay out please, every nation has to start from somewhere.

Very impressive.

I didn't imagine a such bridge in RDC.

A new one is being built (i think its completed by now), it will be 2x2, in the not far from this one. But wont be a beauty like this one.


http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac346/bukavu21/pont_mpozo.jpg

Hey, Chris, is this thread a joke?

No offence to my friends in Congo, but I don't think there is much to discuss here. :)

There is not a single country in the world without roads

some pics from the drc forum Kinshasa still has a lot green spaces. They must control construction so that it does not end up like BK


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5549633659_d4ac187d47_b.jpg


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5134/5549633715_05e8ca1c1e_b.jpg


Airport Road

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb354/Graeme_Lide/kinshasa2.jpg

some more copy and paste job, thanks to the guys from the drc section

RN-1.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5011/5460365931_a6632d0cb2_b.jpg

Maluku

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5319462961_75ab1b1372_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5320046682_2e68f7bed2_b.jpg

Where is that "Maluku"? The only Maluku Google Earth manages to find is in Northern Congo and there are only unpaved roads there.

Maluku is an area in Kinshasa, in the Tshangu District.

Northern Congo won't be seeing any paved roads anytime soon, the government don't think - the leadership very reckless and ignorant. The only way I can see roads being built there in the next decade is if oil is discovered and they need export routes. Sad reality.

Roads around Watsa in northeastern Congo

http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pDJ13xuTPLU/TjZ9CQnUHjI/AAAAAAAACW8/VkK5Kh-7K10/Congo-Aba-at-Vurra-Julho-2011-016_th.jpg?imgmax=800

http://lh6.ggpht.com/-F5IsV-s9GAY/TjZ9FYn6bkI/AAAAAAAACXE/Q0lfFk1P280/Congo-Aba-at-Vurra-Julho-2011-105_th.jpg?imgmax=800

http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UWrgQQwffp8/TjZ9IfgzonI/AAAAAAAACXM/W0WyQNq0mT0/Congo-Aba-at-Vurra-Julho-2011-135_th.jpg?imgmax=800

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xbIVnIyH8mk/TjZ9LePt55I/AAAAAAAACXU/-JzaMQu0Ot4/Congo-Aba-at-Vurra-Julho-2011-136-Co%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800

http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vNZcbMjGtzM/TjZ9QKpq1NI/AAAAAAAACXg/lSH4Ax3pY2E/DSCF6953_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800

http://lh5.ggpht.com/--VaJrEUfw_E/Tj0zHY3iaFI/AAAAAAAACYY/wTfxLMuQwFU/Juba-Yei-Sudo---Aba-Congo-Julho-2011.jpg?imgmax=800

from http://tarmotamming.blogspot.com

The true size of the Democratic Republic of Congo. :eek:

I've added the main cities, with their population in 2011.

http://i42.tinypic.com/16jlnjm.png

cool map!

The basic transportation network, as you can see, we are basically starting from scratch as far as all weather roads

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/world/africa/11/dr_congo/map/img/congo_transport_text_624.gif?cachebuster=cb0000000001

bbc

Weird street pattern in Mbuji-Mayi, one of the largest cities in the DRC. Some strangely organized street pattern amidst the usual planning chaos. I have no idea what this is.

http://i.imgur.com/RkIaI.jpg

Some strangely organized street pattern amidst the usual planning chaos. I have no idea what this is.

Farms with the road frontage sold (or perhaps given to family members?) for houses? Like Belgium. :lol:

The city lacks much of the organization and classic European architecture that other major cities in the DRC inherited from the Belgian colonists. Journalist Michela Wrong, described Mbuji-Mayi as "a curiously soulless settlement, with no tangible centre ... It is purely functional conurbation, dedicated to making money, with little left over for less focused activities."

And connecting it with the outside world, one paved road extending to a railroad, which then goes to various non-Congolese ports. Absolutely amazing for a city of

Estimates ranged from a 2010 CIA Factbook estimated population of 1,480,000 [1] to as many as 3,500,000 estimated by the United Nations in 2008

The economy is based on diamonds, which are of course flown out. I guess most of the food comes from local farms, though it's hard to imagine that much food being produced within dirt road transport distance. Hence the quasi-urban farms.