Comparisons
Zaire vs. the other two most closely populated regions in Angola: Lunda Norte and Malanje
Zaire in context: Street-network sprawl of new development
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Zaire rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Zaire, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Soyo, M'banza Congo and Cuimba. Out of the three cities, Soyo and Cuimba do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Soyo was at its lowest in 1991-2005. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Cuimba followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.
How do development practices in Zaire fare in comparison to others in Angola? Most recently in 2006-2020, street construction in Zaire was the 17th-most disconnected out of the 18 regions in Angola. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Angola, street construction in Zaire has become more connected. Zaire ranked 12th in 1975, 9th in 1976-1990, 9th in 1991-2005 and 17th in 2006-2020.
Zaire in context: Aggregate street-network sprawl
As of 2020, the city with the most disconnected street network in Zaire is M'banza Congo with an SNDi of 5.07, which is very sprawly. Conversely, the most connected city is N'zeto with an SNDi of 1.98, which is well-connected. See trends for these cities: N'zeto, M'banza Congo
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Zaire was at its lowest in 1976-1990. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Zaire, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Soyo, M'banza Congo and Cuimba. None of the most populous cities follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Soyo was at its lowest in 1991-2005. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in M'banza Congo rose steadily. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Cuimba followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.
To date, Zaire is the 14th-most disconnected out of the 18 regions in Angola. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other regions in Angola, the street network in Zaire has become more connected. Zaire ranked 12th in 1975, 12th in 1976-1990, 10th in 1991-2005 and 14th in 2006-2020.