Belgian state colony of the vast Congo basin until its abrupt 1960 independence.
The Belgian Congo became independent as the Republic of the Congo on 30 June 1960 under Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba and President Joseph Kasa-Vubu; it was later renamed Zaire (1971) and then the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1997).
The atlas holds 3 border frames for Belgian Congo — the shape you scrub through changes in 1908 · 1926 · 1942.
Covers the Belgian Congo from annexation through the 1960 independence.
On the Free State whose abuses prompted the Belgian takeover (background).