Bikoro Explained

Official Name:Bikoro
Settlement Type:Commune
Pushpin Map:Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:Équateur
Subdivision Type2:Territory
Subdivision Name2:Bikoro
Unit Pref:Imperial
Population As Of:2012
Population Total:7426
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Coordinates:-0.75°N 25°W

Bikoro is a market town in Équateur Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lying on Lake Tumba, south of Mbandaka. It is the administrative center of Bikoro Territory.[1] In 2012, the estimated population was 7,426.[2]

Bikoro was the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bikoro (which started as a mission sui iuris in 1931) until its suppression in 1975.

In 2018, Bikoro was affected by an outbreak of Ebola virus disease, the ninth in the DRC's history.[3]

Trivia

There is an airfield called Bikoro Airport found in official registers with the ICAO-Code FZBC. Bikoro never had an airport as various old maps and aeronautical charts confirm. It is instead served by the airfield of Yembe-Moke (FZEM) located 7 miles north-east of the town.[4] Additionally, the third letter "B" in the code indicates that the airport is located the former province of Bandundu. Bikoro is located in the former province of Equateur. It is therefore assumed that FZBC is actually the ICAO code intended for Bokoro airport that has been wrongly assigned due to a spelling error.

References

-0.75°N 25°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Découpage administratif de la République Démocratique du Congo . https://web.archive.org/web/20100401040116/http://rgc.cd/doctech/UNDP-GIS-25_RDC_administratif.pdf . dead . 2010-04-01 . X. . Blaes . PNUD-SIG . October 2008 . 2011-12-09.
  2. Web site: Bikoro . https://archive.today/20130210044149/http://world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1325778607&men=gpro&lng=en&des=gamelan&geo=-852&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&pt=c&va=&geo=321319812 . dead . February 10, 2013 . World Gazetteer . 2012-02-01 .
  3. News: Ebola outbreak in Congo enters 'new phase' as it spreads to large city. McKirdy. Euan. CNN. 2018-05-19. en-US.
  4. News: JOG 1501 SA 34-01. U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. 2019-04-06. en-US.