Editing Kongo language (section)

==Geographic distribution==
Kongo was the language of the [[Kingdom of Kongo]] prior to the creation of [[Angola]] by the Portuguese Crown in 1575. The Berlin Conference (1884-1885) among major European powers divided the rest of the kingdom into three territories. These are now parts of the DRC ([[Kongo Central]] and [[Bandundu province|Bandundu]]), the Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.

Kikongo is the base for the Creole language [[Kituba language|Kituba]], also called ''Kikongo de l'État'' and ''Kikongo ya Leta'' ([[French language|French]] and Kituba, respectively, for "Kikongo of the state administration" or "Kikongo of the State").<ref name=Britannica />

The [[constitution of the Republic of the Congo]] uses the name ''Kituba'',<ref name=Digitheque >{{cite web|url=https://mjp.univ-perp.fr/constit/cg2015.htm |language=fr|title=Constitution de 2015 |work=Digithèque matériaux juridiques et politiques, Jean-Pierre Maury, Université de Perpignan |access-date=14 December 2020}}</ref> and [[Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo|Democratic Republic of the Congo]] uses the term ''Kikongo'' (i.e. Kikongo ya Leta).<ref name=WIPO >{{cite web|url=https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/fr/cd/cd001fr.pdf |title=Constitution de la République Démocratique du Congo |work=Organisation mondiale de la propriété intellectuelle ou World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) |language=fr|page=11 |access-date=14 December 2020}}</ref>This can be explained by the fact that Kikongo ya Leta is often mistakenly called Kikongo (i.e. KiNtandu, KiManianga, KiNdibu, etc.).<ref>Foreign Service Institute (U.S.) and Lloyd Balderston Swift, ''Kituba; Basic Course'', Department of State, 1963, p.10</ref><ref name=Britannica >{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kikongo-Kituba |language=en|title=Kikongo-Kituba |encyclopedia=Britannica |access-date=14 December 2020}}</ref><ref>Godefroid Muzalia Kihangu, ''Bundu dia Kongo, une résurgence des messianismes et de l’alliance des Bakongo?'', Universiteit Gent, België, 2011, p. 30</ref>

Kikongo and Kituba are spoken in:
* South of [[Republic of the Congo]]:
** Kikongo (Yombe, Vili, Ladi, Sundi, etc.) and Kituba:
*** [[Kouilou Region|Kouilou]],
*** [[Niari Region|Niari]],
*** [[Bouenza]],
*** [[Lékoumou]],
*** south of [[Brazzaville]],
*** [[Pointe-Noire]],
** Kikongo (Ladi, Kongo Boko, etc.):
*** [[Pool Department|Pool]];
* South-west of [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]:
** Kikongo (Yombe, Ntandu, Ndibu, Manyanga, etc.) and Kikongo ya Leta:
*** [[Kongo Central]],
*** a part of [[Kinshasa]],
** Kikongo ya Leta:
*** [[Kwilu Province|Kwilu]],
*** [[Kwango Province|Kwango]],
*** [[Mai-Ndombe Province|Mai-Ndombe]],
*** far west [[Kasaï Province|Kasaï]];
* North of [[Angola]]:
** Kikongo (Kisikongo, Zombo, Ibinda, etc.):
*** [[Cabinda Province|Cabinda]],
*** [[Uíge Province|Uíge]],
*** [[Zaire Province|Zaire]],
*** north of [[Bengo Province|Bengo]] and north of [[Cuanza Norte Province|Cuanza Norte]];
* South-West of [[Gabon]].
** Kikongo (Vili):
*** [[Nyanga Province|Nyanga]],
*** [[Ngounié Province|Ngounié]]

=== Presence in the Americas ===
Many African slaves transported in the [[Atlantic slave trade]] spoke Kikongo. Its influence can be seen in many [[creole language]]s in the [[African diaspora|diaspora]], such as:
*[[Brazil]]
**[[Cafundó language|Cupópia]]
***[[Salto de Pirapora]]
*[[Colombia]]
**[[Palenquero]]
***[[San Basilio de Palenque]]
*[[Cuba]]
**[[Habla Congo|Habla Congo/Habla Bantu]]
***None; [[liturgical language]] of the [[Afro-Cubans|Afro-Cuban]] [[Palo (religion)|Palo]] religion.
*[[Haiti]]
**[[Haitian Creole]]
***Haiti
***[[Bahamas]]
***[[Cuba]]
***[[Dominican Republic]]
***[[United States]]
**[[Haitian Vodoun Culture Language|Langaj]]
***None; liturgical language of the [[Haitian Vodou]] religion.
*[[Suriname]]
**[[Saramaccan language]]
***[[Boven Suriname]]
***[[Brokopondo District|Brokopondo]]
***[[Paramaribo]]
***[[French Guiana]]
***[[Netherlands]]
*[[African Americans|United States]]
**[[Gullah language|Gullah]]
***[[Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor|Gullah-Geechee Corridor]] (North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida)
**[[Louisiana Creole]]
***[[Louisiana]]; and neighboring states.