Why was the Matadi-to-Kinshasa railway built?

The Matadi-to-Kinshasa railway was built to overcome a significant geographical barrier to the sea formed by the lower course of the Congo River.3

While the Congo River serves as a vital navigational artery for the interior of the country, the section between Kinshasa and Matadi is impassable for ships due to a series of 32 rapids and cataracts known as Livingstone Falls. These cataracts prevent direct navigation from the Atlantic coast to the interior.21

By bypassing these rapids, the railway—completed in 1898—established a crucial link that allowed for the transport of goods, including copper production from Katanga, to the coast for export. It remains a vital component of the nation's transportation infrastructure, facilitating the movement of imports and exports between the interior and the country's principal port at Matadi.345