- Likasi
.
Likasi is the birthplace of former Congolese head of state,
Laurent Kabila .Demographics
Likasi has a population of around 360,000 (Doctors Worldwide, 2005). During the 1990s the population of the town increased as a result of the arrival of refugees from ethnic violence in
Shaba , and theUnited Nations set up feeding centres and refugee centres around Likasi.History
In 1961, during the
United Nations intervention in theKatanga conflict, a company of Irish UN troops deployed to Jadotville was forced to surrender to troops loyal to the Katangese Prime MinisterMoise Tshombe (seeSiege of Jadotville ).Economy
Likasi remains a centre for industry, especially mining, and is a transport hub for the surrounding region. There are mines and refineries supplied by nearby deposits of
copper andcobalt .External links
* [http://www.likasi.be/index1024.html Web site about Likasi]
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