Transport networks and territorial dynamics in the far north of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo[Réseaux de transport, développement économique et urbanisation du Grand-Nord du Nord-Kivu : Etat de lieu et regard historique Transportation networks, urbanization and economic development of Grand North Kivu: Current situation and historical perspective]

This article adopts an approach combining historical analysis and measurement of transport networks to examine the impact of infrastructure (national roads, airport, lake route) on urbanization and economic development in the far north of North Kivu (DRC). The findings reveal the powerful agglomeration effects induced by the road network: 91% of the areas studied are located along national roads, while the cities of Beni and Butembo stand out for their high accessibility and commercial and industrial centrality. Conversely, the lake route does not generate structuring effects due to legal and logistical constraints. The study demonstrates that regional urbanization is deeply polarized by road and air infrastructure and recommends better inter-provincial integration of networks as well as appropriate planning policies to reduce territorial imbalances.