List of renamed places in the Democratic Republic of the Congo explained

This is a list of place names of towns and cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which were subsequently changed after the end of Belgian colonial rule. Place names of the colonial era tended to have two versions, one in French and one in Dutch, reflecting the two main languages of Belgium. Many of these place names were chosen after local geography or eponymous colonial figures.

Many of the place name changes occurred under the authenticité programme in the 1960s and 1970s during the dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko. In some cases, the names had genuine pre-colonial usage or had already been used unofficially during the colonial period. Mobutu also changed the country's name from Congo to Zaire. Today, European speakers of both French and Dutch use the modern Congolese place names.

Towns and cities

Current Name Former name in French Former name in Dutch Former Namesake Aketi Port-Chaltin Aketi-Chaltinhaven Named in honour of Louis-Napoléon Chaltin, a colonial military officer of the Congo Free State. Banningville Banningstad Named in honour of Émile Banning, influential Belgian civil servant and confidant of Leopold II Flandria Flanders, a region in Belgium Costermansville Costermansstad Named in honour of Paul Costermans, colonial administrator in the Free State, in 1927 Charlesville Charlesstad Gombe (Kinshasa) Kalina Named in honour of E. Kalina, an Austrian soldier who died in 1883. Port-Francqui Francquihaven Named in honour of Émile Francqui, businessman and philanthropist Paulis Named in honour of Albert Paulis Albertville Albertstad Luluabourg Luluaburg Named after the nearby Lulua river Kasa-Vubu (Kinshasa) Dendale Poto-Poto Kindu Port-Émpain Kindu Empain-Haven Named in honour of Edouard Empain, Belgian industrialist Léopoldville Leopoldstad Named in honour of King Leopold II, King-Sovereign of the Congo Free State Baudouinville Boudewijnstad Named in honour of Prince Baudouin, nephew (and intended successor) of Leopold II Stanleyville Stanleystad Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer Moerbeke Named after the Belgian hometown of Maurice Lippens, a major investor in the local sugar industry Jadotville Jadotstad Named in honour of, businessman and industrialist Lingwala (Kinshasa) Saint-Jean Named after St John the Apostle Sentery Élisabethville Elisabethstad Named in honour of Queen Elisabeth Cattier Named in honour of Félicien Cattier, businessman Wolter Riba-Riba Elisabetha Named in honour of Queen Elisabeth Leverville Leverstad Named after William Lever, British businessman and co-founder of Lever Brothers which owned a local subsidiary, Huileries du Congo Belge (HCB), which produced palm kernels. Nouvelle-Anvers Nieuw Antwerpen Named after the Belgian port city of Antwerp Stanley Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer and namesake of Stanleyville Brabanta Named after Brabant in Belgium Matonge (Kinshasa) Renkin Named in honour of Jules Renkin, Belgian politician, Colonial Minister (1908–18) and later Prime Minister (1931–32) Coquilhatville Cocquilhatstad Named in honour of Camille Coquilhat, colonial administrator and town's founder. Thysville Thysstad Named in honour of Albert Thys, Belgian colonist and businessman Banzyville Banzystad Bakwanga Ngaliema (Kinshasa) Stanley Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer Vista Vankerckhovenville Vankerckhovenstad Named in honour of Belgian explorer Willem Frans Van Kerckhoven Mérode Named after the House of Mérode Ponthierville Ponthierstad Named in honour of the, colonial soldier

Landmarks and geographic terms

Current Name Former name in French Former name in Dutch Former Namesake Stanley Falls Stanleywatervallen Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer Lac Léopold II Leopold II Meer Named in honour of King Leopold II, King-Sovereign of the Congo Free State Stanley Pool Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer Crystal Parc Albert Albert Park Named in honour of King Albert I

See also

• Authenticité (Zaire)
• Belgian colonial empire
• Mount Stanley