Congo (Léopoldville)

Congo (Léopoldville) was a state in Congo Basin and Katanga (Central and Southern Africa) that lasted from 1960 to 1971 CE, about 11 years. Its people spoke Bantu languages (Kongo, Shona, Zulu, Swahili, Luba, Ganda).

Independence in 1960 brought army mutiny, Katangan secession, UN intervention and the murder of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba in 1961. Joseph-Désiré Mobutu took power in 1965.

See Congo (Léopoldville) on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1960 to 1971 CE

Duration

11 years

Type

State

Region

Congo Basin and Katanga, Central and Southern Africa

Language family

Bantu

Capital

Léopoldville

Came from

• Belgian Congo 1908 to 1960 CE

Became

• Zaire 1971 to 1997 CE

Events in Central and Southern Africa during its time

• 1960 Congo independence and crisis

Neighbours in Central and Southern Africa

• Republic of South Africa (apartheid era) 1961 to 1994 CE
• Kingdom of Buganda c. 1300 to 1966 CE
• Portuguese Mozambique 1505 to 1975 CE
• Portuguese Angola 1575 to 1975 CE
• Sultanate of Zanzibar 1856 to 1964 CE
• British Kenya 1895 to 1963 CE
• Madagascar 1960 CE to the present
• Tanzania 1961 CE to the present
• French Madagascar 1896 to 1960 CE
• Uganda 1962 CE to the present

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• United States 1776 CE to the present, North America
• United Kingdom 1801 CE to the present, Europe
• Haiti 1804 CE to the present, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Commonwealth of Australia 1901 CE to the present, Oceania
• Indonesia 1945 CE to the present, Southeast Asia
• Republic of India 1947 CE to the present, South Asia
• People's Republic of China 1949 CE to the present, East Asia
• Soviet Union 1922 to 1991 CE, Europe

Questions