NIANGARA, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - In the north-eastern part of the Belgian Congo, entrusted to the Dominicans, it was erected as an apostolic prefecture under the name of Uelle Orientale on 18 Dec. 1911, by division of that of Uelle (q.V. BHUTAN), raised to the status of an apostolic vicariate on 6 May 1924, and received its present name on 14 Dec. 1926. It underwent a modification of its boundaries on 15 Feb. 1935 with the annexation of part of the territory of Misa and Bongo detached from the apostolic vicariate of Stanley Falls (now Stanleyville [q.v.]). On 3 Apr. 1941 the chefferie of Solo was detached from the vicariate of N. and united to that of Bondo.
The vicariate of N. has an area of about 100,000 sq. km. with a population of about 600,000 inhabitants, belonging to various tribes (Makere and Monwu, commonly considered indigenous; Azande, Abarambo, Bangba, probably coming from the north; Mangbetu, originating from the south; Logo and Bari, Nilotic), not very advanced, of an impulsive, inconstant and superstitious character. Among them polygamy is widespread, but they nevertheless display a certain degree of morality. The Azande have a clear idea of a single God and supreme lord, as well as of the immortality of the soul. The other tribes possess a more obscure concept of these truths. All, moreover, have the cult of the dead, make use of amulets and magical practices.
There are over 86,000 Catholics with over 20,000 catechumens, about 10,000 Protestants, and nearly 500,000 pagans; native priests number 4, foreigners 58; native lay brothers 7, foreigners 8; native sisters 20, foreigners 51; catechists 1,020; teachers 666; regional seminary. Principal mission stations 17, secondary ones 966; churches 32, chapels 954, dispensaries 13, hospitals 12, leper asylums 11, orphanages 9, refuges 8; elementary schools 107, middle and normal schools.