Kouilou Department

{{short description|Department of the Republic of the Congo}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Kouilou

| native_name = Kwilu or Kuilu

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| settlement_type = Department

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| image_map = Kouilou in Congo.svg

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| map_caption = Kouilou, department of the Republic of the Congo

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| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = Republic of the Congo

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| seat_type = Capital

| seat = Loango

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| area_total_km2 = 13650

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| population_total = 97362

| population_as_of = 2023 census

| population_density_km2 = auto

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| blank_name_sec1 = HDI (2018)

| blank_info_sec1 = 0.499{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}
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{{RCongo-geo-stub}}

{{coord|04|19|40|S|11|53|37|E|region:CG|display=title}}

Image:Kouilou districts.png

Kouilou ({{langx|kg|Kwilu, Kuilu}} {{cite web|url= https://www.persee.fr/doc/globe_0398-3412_1885_num_24_1_4668_t1_0057_0000_2 |language=fr|title= Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society (de Londres) |author= M., A. |work= Le Globe. Revue genevoise de géographie |year=1885 |page=57-60 |access-date=5 January 2021}} {{cite web|url= https://history.icaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Slukan-Altic.pdf |language=en|title= The Croatian explorer Dragutin Lerman (1863-1918), and his contribution to the mapping of Central Africa |author= Mirela Slukan Altic |work= Institute of Social Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia |page=1 |access-date=5 January 2021}}) is a department of the Republic of the Congo. Covering the country's coastline, it has an area of 13,650 square kilometres and at the start of 2023 it was home to about 97,362 people.{{Cite web |title=Congo (Rep.): Departments, Major Cities & Urban Localities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/congo/ |access-date=2024-01-16 |website=www.citypopulation.de}} The department borders Niari Department, the commune of Pointe-Noire, and internationally, Gabon and the Cabinda area of Angola.

Since 2011 the town of Loango has been the capital of the Kouilou department.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sgg.cg/textes-officiels/congo-loi-2011-20.pdf |title=Loi n°20-2011 du 17 mai 2011 portant création du district de Loango et érection de la localité de Loango en chef-lieu du département du Kouilou |website=sgg.cg |access-date=22 August 2023}} Before, the capital was Hinda (see "Villages and towns" part).

Kouilou is also the name of a river, the Kouilou-Niari River.