history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Democratic Republic of the Congo

Political map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo showing national boundaries, major cities such as Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Kisangani, and neighboring countries including Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. An inset locator map highlights the country's position within Africa.

Luba and Lunda states—among the larger of the Bantu states in the 15th–19th century—shown with neighboring Kazembe and some of the major trade routes

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Antique map from 1902 showing central Africa with colonial territories labeled as Kamerun, French Kongo, Kongo Free State, Portuguese West Africa, British East Africa, German East Africa, East Africa, and Rhodesia. The map details rivers, cities, and borders of the era, with an inset map of Madagascar in the lower right corner.

Map of the Belgian Congo from 1908 to 1960, showing major rivers, lakes, cities, and surrounding territories in central Africa. The Congo River and its tributaries are prominently marked, with neighboring regions such as French Equatorial Africa, Angola, Uganda, Sudan, and Tanganyika Territory labeled. An inset highlights the location of Belgian Congo within the African continent.

A Belgian colonial officer in a pith helmet stands on a stone step addressing two barefoot Congolese men in front of a thatched building, with several people watching in the background.

Joseph Kasavubu

Patrice Lumumba

history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Media

capital at Kinshasa

Videos

Hear about the Thomas Lubanga case, the first trial conducted by the International Criminal Court in 2012

Hear about the Thomas Lubanga case, the first trial conducted by the International Criminal Court in 2012

Learn about the case of Thomas Lubanga, which was the first trial conducted by the...

Video: © Open University (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Images

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Political map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo showing national boundaries, major cities such as Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Kisangani, and neighboring countries including Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and Gabon. An inset locator map highlights the country's position within Africa.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Luba and Lunda states—among the larger of the Bantu states in the 15th–19th century—shown with neighboring Kazembe and some of the major trade routes

Luba and Lunda states—among the larger of the Bantu states in the 15th–19th century—shown with neighboring Kazembe and some of the major trade routes

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Antique map from 1902 showing central Africa with colonial territories labeled as Kamerun, French Kongo, Kongo Free State, Portuguese West Africa, British East Africa, German East Africa, East Africa, and Rhodesia. The map details rivers, cities, and borders of the era, with an inset map of Madagascar in the lower right corner.

Congo Free State, c. 1902

Map of Central Africa, showing the Belgian king Leopold II's claimed territory as...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of the Belgian Congo from 1908 to 1960, showing major rivers, lakes, cities, and surrounding territories in central Africa. The Congo River and its tributaries are prominently marked, with neighboring regions such as French Equatorial Africa, Angola, Uganda, Sudan, and Tanganyika Territory labeled. An inset highlights the location of Belgian Congo within the African continent.

Belgian Congo

Historical map of the Belgian Congo (1908–60).

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

A Belgian colonial officer in a pith helmet stands on a stone step addressing two barefoot Congolese men in front of a thatched building, with several people watching in the background.

Belgian Congo

A Belgian territorial agent speaking with Congolese people in the Belgian Congo in...

© H. Goldstein—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Joseph Kasavubu

Joseph Kasavubu

From 1960 until 1965 Joseph Kasavubu served as president of what is now the Democratic...

© Keystone-France—Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Patrice Lumumba

Patrice Lumumba

Lumumba shown during his tenure as the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic...

AP Images

Moise Tshombe

Moise Tshombe

Congolese politician Moise Tshombe, shown here in an undated photo, led the secession...

AP

Diamonds-for-weapons trade in Africa

Diamonds-for-weapons trade in Africa

Map illustrating the diamonds-for-weapons trade that took place in Africa near the...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Large group of Congolese civilians, including women and children, walk and carry belongings along a rural road, fleeing violence near Sake, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with mountains in the background.

Fleeing from fighting

Congolese people fleeing the village of Sake toward Goma as intense fighting takes...

© Lynsey Addario/Getty Images

Two women in colorful clothing walk past rows of makeshift shelters covered with tarps in the Kibati camp for internally displaced persons, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Internal displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Residents walking through a camp for internally displaced persons at Kibati in North...

Marie Frechon/UN Photo

Sultani Makenga, center holding a stick, leads a group of M23 rebels walking through Bunagana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with armed fighters in military uniforms behind him.

March 23 Movement (M23)

Sultani Makenga (center), a military leader in the M23 rebel group, and other M23...

© Michele Sibiloni—AFP/GettyImages

President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo speaks at a podium with microphones, against a blue backdrop reading Paris Peace Forum.

Félix Tshisekedi

Democratic Republic of the Congo Pres. Félix Tshisekedi delivering a speech at the...

© Ludovic Marin/Pool—AFP/Getty Images

Mourners gather beside coffins draped with Democratic Republic of the Congo flags and topped with flowers at a funeral ceremony in Goma for victims of a bomb attack on the Mugunga refugee camp.

March 23 Movement (M23)

Mourners at the funeral held for the victims of an M23 bomb attack on the Mugunga...

© Augustin Wamenya—Anadolu/Getty Images

Map of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo showing provinces where the M23 rebel group is most active, specifically North Kivu and South Kivu, with major cities such as Goma, Sake, Bukavu, and Bunia labeled. Neighboring countries including Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania are also shown for context. A small inset map highlights the region within Africa.

M23 rebel activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./ Refugio Mariscal

Washington Accords

Washington Accords

U.S. Pres. Donald Trump (left), Rwandan Pres. Paul Kagame (center), and Congolese...

© Andrew Caballero-Reynolds—AFP/Getty Images

Joseph Kabila, former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, sits in an armchair wearing a dark suit and striped shirt, with greenery and a railing in the background.

Joseph Kabila

Former Congolese president Joseph Kabila sits during a meeting, Goma, Democratic...

© Jospin Mwisha—AFP/Getty Images

Interactives

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Learn about the colonization of Africa, the process of decolonization that led to...

© Encyclopaedia Britannica