The capital and largest city of Zaire is which of the following: Harare, Mombasa, or Kinshasa?

The key to this question lies in recognizing the former name of a major African nation. From 1971 to 1997, the country we know today as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was called the Republic of Zaire. Throughout this period, as it is today, its capital and largest city was Kinshasa. Located on the banks of the Congo River, Kinshasa has remained the center of government and commerce for the nation through its various political transformations.

Kinshasa is a sprawling megacity, and with a population of over 16 million, it is officially the most populous French-speaking city in the world, surpassing even Paris. Before the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960, the city was named Léopoldville. Its strategic position on the river, directly across from Brazzaville, the capital of the neighboring Republic of the Congo, has made it a vital hub for the entire Central African region for centuries.

The other choices are located in different parts of the continent. Harare is the capital city of Zimbabwe, a nation in Southern Africa. Mombasa, while a significant historical and economic hub, is a major port city in Kenya, on the coast of the Indian Ocean; Kenya's capital is Nairobi.