Likasi, town in the Haut-Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Likasi is a major city in Haut-Katanga Province and a center for copper mining. It sits in hilly terrain with views from many locations and features a mix of wide, tree-lined colonial-era streets and busy modern markets.
The city was originally founded by Belgians as Jadotville, named after engineer Jean Jadot, but was renamed Likasi in 1971. The mining industry expanded significantly under the colonial UMHK company, which was nationalized in 1967 and made the region one of the world's leading copper and cobalt producers.
Likasi is called the City of Lights, a name rooted in the original meaning of dikashi. The hilly landscape shapes daily life and movement through the city, creating a strong connection between residents and their environment.
Visitors will find basic shops like grocery stores and bakeries, plus a few simple restaurants where locals gather for meals and drinks. The hilly terrain requires sure footing and good shoes, as the steep slopes make walking challenging and some areas are more densely built than others.
Nearby is the famous Shinkolobwe uranium mine, which during World War II produced 80 percent pure uranium for atomic bombs. Although officially sealed, small-scale miners still illegally dig for and sell uranium from the site today.
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