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.
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.
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.
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.