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The Districts of the Belgian Congo were the primary administrative divisions when Belgium annexed the
The Congo Free State was annexed by Belgium in 1908 to become the 
In 1912 there were 22 districts. Changes were:
*Équateur had been divided into a smaller Équateur to the south, and Lulonga to the north.
* Uele had been divided into Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele
*Stanleyville had been divided into a smaller Stanleyville, and Lowa, Ituri, Maniema and Kivu
*Kasai had been divided into Sankuru to the north and a smaller Kasai to the south. Part of the district had been reassigned to Katanga
*Katanga had been made into a vice governorship general, and divided into Lomami (including part of the old Kasai), Tanganika-Moero, Haut-Luapula and Lulua (including part of the old Kasai)
The districts in 1912 were:
*
By 1926 the districts had been organized into four large provinces, with some boundary changes.
Apart from boundary adjustments, the district-level changes were:
*A new urban district of Léopoldville had been created around the capital city
*Moyen-Congo had been merged into Bas-Congo (south) and Lac Léopold II (north)
*Lowa and Maniema had been combined into a new Maniema, losing part of their territory to Kivu to the east.
The new organization was¨:
*
In 1933 the number of provinces was increased to six, while the number of districts was reduced to 16.
This provincial breakdown would last until after the
The Districts of the Belgian Congo were the primary administrative divisions when Belgium annexed the Congo Free State
The Congo Free State, also known as the Independent State of the Congo (), was a large Sovereign state, state and absolute monarchy in Central Africa from 1885 to 1908. It was privately owned by Leopold II of Belgium, King Leopold II, the const ...
in 1908, each administered by a district commissioner.
In 1914 they were distributed among four large provinces, with some boundary changes.
In 1933 the provinces were restructured into six, again with boundary changes.
The number of districts fluctuated between 12 and 26 through splits and consolidations, first rising, then falling, then rising again.
History
The Congo Free State was annexed by Belgium in 1908 to become the Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (, ; ) was a Belgian colonial empire, Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960 and became the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville). The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Repu ...
.
At first the structure of districts was retained.
In 1910 the western districts of Banana
A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
, Boma, Matadi
Matadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the Kongo Central province, adjacent to the border with Angola. It had a population of 245,862 (2004). Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River, ...
and Cataractes were consolidated into one administrative unit, Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
, reducing the number to twelve.
Parts of the Stanley Falls and Lualaba districts were combined to form Katanga in 1910, which was called a vice-government general.
Otherwise, the Free State districts were maintained until 28 March 1912.
An ''arrêté royal'' of 28 March 1912 divided the Congo into 22 districts.
An ''arrêté royal'' of 28 July 1914 grouped the districts into the provinces of Congo-Kasaï
Congo-Kasaï was one of the four large provinces of the Belgian Congo defined in 1914. It was formally established in 1919, and in 1933 was divided into the new provinces of Léopoldville Province, Léopoldville and Lusambo Province, Lusambo.
Lo ...
, Équateur, Orientale Province
Orientale Province () is one of the former provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its predecessors the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo. It went through a series of boundary changes between 1898 and 2015, when it was divided ...
and Katanga, with the objective of improving responsiveness through decentralization.
The consolidation had in fact started in Katanga in 1912 and Orientale in 1913, but Congo-Kasai did not formally become a vice-government until 1919.
Each of the new provinces was made up of several of the existing districts.
The colonial administrators felt the need to assign the many diverse ethnic groups to defined territories, where before they had often been mobile.
The districts were divided into territories, which in turn were divided into sectors, and many chiefdoms were recognized.
Several of the smallest might be combined into one sector, while the largest chiefdoms were split across sectors.
The original four provinces had considerable autonomy, but in 1933 they were reorganized into six provinces, named after their capitals, and the central government assumed more control.
The Congo-Kasaï and Orientale provinces were both split, and some other adjustments were made to form six provinces named after their capitals; Léopoldville
Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 17 million ...
, Lusambo
Lusambo () is the capital Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, city of Sankuru province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town lies north of the confluence of the Sankuru River and the Lubi River. Lusambo is served by Lusambo Airp ...
(Kasai), Costermansville (Kivu), Elisabethville (Katanga), Stanleyville (Orientale) and Coquilhatville (Équateur).
The number of districts was reduced to 15, with 102 territories. Provincial boundaries remained fairly stable until after independence in 1960.
There continued to be frequent adjustments to district and territory boundaries, mostly to recognise sectional and tribal divisions.
By 1956 there were 26 districts and 135 territories.
1910 districts
In 1910 there were 12 districts. Clockwise, starting from the mouth of theCongo River
The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world list of rivers by discharge, by discharge volume, following the Amazon Ri ...
, they were:
*Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
* Moyen-Congo
* Lac Léopold II
* Équateur
* Bangala
* Ubangi
* Uele
* Aruwimi
* Stanleyville
* Katanga
* Kasai
*Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. K ...
1912 districts
In 1912 there were 22 districts. Changes were:
*Équateur had been divided into a smaller Équateur to the south, and Lulonga to the north.
* Uele had been divided into Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele
*Stanleyville had been divided into a smaller Stanleyville, and Lowa, Ituri, Maniema and Kivu
*Kasai had been divided into Sankuru to the north and a smaller Kasai to the south. Part of the district had been reassigned to Katanga
*Katanga had been made into a vice governorship general, and divided into Lomami (including part of the old Kasai), Tanganika-Moero, Haut-Luapula and Lulua (including part of the old Kasai)
The districts in 1912 were:
*Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
* Moyen-Congo
* Lac Léopold II
* Équateur
* Lulonga
* Bangala
* Ubangi
* Bas-Uele
* Haut-Uele
* Aruwimi
* Stanleyville
* Lowa
*Ituri
Ituri Province ( in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Ituri, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo provinces ...
*Maniema
Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300.
Toponymy
Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...
*Kivu
Kivu is the name for a large region in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that borders Lake Kivu. It was a ''Région'' (read 'province') of the country under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko from 1966 to 1988. As an official ''Région'' ...
*Sankuru
Sankuru is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Sankuru, Kasaï-Oriental, and Lomami provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Kasaï-Oriental province. Sankuru ...
* Kasai
*Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. K ...
*Lomami Lomami may refer to:
* Lomami River, a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Lomami Province, a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Lomami Province (former), a former province of Zaire
{{Disambig ...
* Tanganika-Moero
* Haut-Luapula
* Lulua
Districts in 1926
By 1926 the districts had been organized into four large provinces, with some boundary changes.
Apart from boundary adjustments, the district-level changes were:
*A new urban district of Léopoldville had been created around the capital city
*Moyen-Congo had been merged into Bas-Congo (south) and Lac Léopold II (north)
*Lowa and Maniema had been combined into a new Maniema, losing part of their territory to Kivu to the east.
The new organization was¨:
*Congo-Kasaï
Congo-Kasaï was one of the four large provinces of the Belgian Congo defined in 1914. It was formally established in 1919, and in 1933 was divided into the new provinces of Léopoldville Province, Léopoldville and Lusambo Province, Lusambo.
Lo ...
**Léopoldville
**Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
**Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. K ...
** Kasai
**Sankuru
Sankuru is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Sankuru, Kasaï-Oriental, and Lomami provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Kasaï-Oriental province. Sankuru ...
* Équateur
** Ubangi
** Bangala
** Lulonga
** Équateur
** Lac Léopold II
* Orientale
** Bas-Uele
** Haut-Uele
** Aruwimi
** Stanleyville
**Maniema
Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300.
Toponymy
Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...
**Ituri
Ituri Province ( in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Ituri, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo provinces ...
**Kivu
Kivu is the name for a large region in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that borders Lake Kivu. It was a ''Région'' (read 'province') of the country under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko from 1966 to 1988. As an official ''Région'' ...
* Katanga
**Lomami Lomami may refer to:
* Lomami River, a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Lomami Province, a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Lomami Province (former), a former province of Zaire
{{Disambig ...
** Tanganika-Moero
** Haut-Luapula
** Lulua
Districts in 1933
In 1933 the number of provinces was increased to six, while the number of districts was reduced to 16.
This provincial breakdown would last until after the Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The Republic of the Congo () was the period of the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1960 and 1971. Located in Central Africa, the state was created with the independence of the Belgian Congo in 1960. From 1960 to 1966, ...
became independent in 1960.
The new organization was:
*Léopoldville
Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 17 million ...
**Léopoldville
**Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
**Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. K ...
** Lac Léopold II
*Lusambo
Lusambo () is the capital Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, city of Sankuru province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The town lies north of the confluence of the Sankuru River and the Lubi River. Lusambo is served by Lusambo Airp ...
(Kasai)
**Sankuru
Sankuru is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Sankuru, Kasaï-Oriental, and Lomami provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Kasaï-Oriental province. Sankuru ...
** Kasai
* Coquilhatville (Équateur)
** Congo-Ubangi
**Tshuapa
Tshuapa is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Tshuapa, Équateur Province, Équateur, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi, and Sud-Ubangi provinces are ...
* Stanleyville (Orientale)
** Stanleyville
** Uele
** Kibali-Ituri
* Costermansville (Kivu)
**Kivu
Kivu is the name for a large region in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that borders Lake Kivu. It was a ''Région'' (read 'province') of the country under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko from 1966 to 1988. As an official ''Région'' ...
**Maniema
Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300.
Toponymy
Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...
* Elisabethville (Katanga)
** Tanganika
** Lualaba
**Haut-Katanga
Haut-Katanga (French for "Upper Katanga") is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba, and Tanganyika provinces are the result of the dismemberment ...
Districts in 1954
The districts in 1954 were: *Léopoldville **Léopoldville
Kinshasa (; ; ), formerly named Léopoldville from 1881–1966 (), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is one of the world's fastest-growing megacities, with an estimated population of 17 million ...
** Lac Leopold II
** Kwilu
** Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. K ...
** Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
** Cataractes
*Kasai
** Lulua
** Sankuru
Sankuru is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Sankuru, Kasaï-Oriental, and Lomami provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Kasaï-Oriental province. Sankuru ...
** Kabinda
Kabinda is the capital Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, city of Lomami Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Projected to be the second fastest growing African continent city between 2020 and 2025, with a 6.37% growt ...
** Kasai
*Equateur
** Equateur
** Mongala
Mongala is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Mongala, Équateur, Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi, and Tshuapa provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Équateur pro ...
** Ubangi
** Tshuapa
Tshuapa is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Tshuapa, Équateur Province, Équateur, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi, and Sud-Ubangi provinces are ...
*Orientale
** Stanleyville
** Ituri
Ituri Province ( in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Ituri, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo provinces ...
** Bas-Uele
** Haut-Uele
*Kivu
** Sud-Kivu
South Kivu (; ) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Bukavu. Located within the East African Rift's western branch Albertine Rift, it is bordered to the east by Lake Kivu, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania ...
** Nord-Kivu
North Kivu () is a Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital city is Goma. Spanning approximately 59,483 square kilometers with a population esti ...
** Maniema
Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300.
Toponymy
Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...
*Katanga
** Elisabethville
** Tanganyika
** Lualaba
** Haut-Lomami
Haut-Lomami (French for "Upper Lomami") is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Haut-Lomami, Haut-Katanga, Lualaba Province, Lualaba, and ...
** Luapula-Moero
Post-independence
Further changes were made after theRepublic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The Republic of the Congo () was the period of the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between 1960 and 1971. Located in Central Africa, the state was created with the independence of the Belgian Congo in 1960. From 1960 to 1966, ...
became independent.
As of 2008 the provinces and districts were:
* Bandundu
**Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. K ...
** Kwilu
** Mai-Ndombe
** Plateaux
*Bas-Congo
Kongo Central (), formerly Bas-Congo, is one of the 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Matadi.
History
At the time of independence, the area now encompassing Kongo Central was part of the greater province of ...
** Bas-Fleuve
** Cataractes
** Lukaya
* Kasai-Occidental
** Kasaï
** Lulua
* Kasai-Oriental
**Kabinda
Kabinda is the capital Cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, city of Lomami Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Projected to be the second fastest growing African continent city between 2020 and 2025, with a 6.37% growt ...
**Sankuru
Sankuru is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Sankuru, Kasaï-Oriental, and Lomami provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Kasaï-Oriental province. Sankuru ...
** Tshilenge
* Équateur
** Équateur
**Mongala
Mongala is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Mongala, Équateur, Nord-Ubangi, Sud-Ubangi, and Tshuapa provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Équateur pro ...
**Nord-Ubangi
Nord-Ubangi (French for "North Ubangi") is one of the 21 newest provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Nord-Ubangi, Équateur, Mongala, Sud-Ubangi, and Tshuapa provinces are the result of the dis ...
**Sud-Ubangi
Sud-Ubangi (French for "South Ubangi") is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. It lies in the northwest of the country on the Ubangi River.
Sud-Ubangi, Équateur, Mongala, Nord-Uba ...
**Tshuapa
Tshuapa is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Tshuapa, Équateur Province, Équateur, Mongala, Nord-Ubangi, and Sud-Ubangi provinces are ...
* Orientale
** Bas-Uele
** Haut-Uele
**Ituri
Ituri Province ( in Swahili language, Swahili) is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Ituri, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo provinces ...
**Tshopo
Tshopo is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. It is situated in the north central part of the country on the Tshopo River, for which it is named.
Tshopo, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, ...
*Nord-Kivu
North Kivu () is a Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The capital city is Goma. Spanning approximately 59,483 square kilometers with a population esti ...
*Sud-Kivu
South Kivu (; ) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Bukavu. Located within the East African Rift's western branch Albertine Rift, it is bordered to the east by Lake Kivu, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania ...
*Maniema
Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300.
Toponymy
Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...
* Katanga
**Haut-Katanga
Haut-Katanga (French for "Upper Katanga") is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the 2015 repartitioning. Haut-Katanga, Haut-Lomami, Lualaba, and Tanganyika provinces are the result of the dismemberment ...
**Haut-Lomami
Haut-Lomami (French for "Upper Lomami") is one of the 21 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo created in the Subdivisions of the DR Congo#New provinces, 2015 repartitioning. Haut-Lomami, Haut-Katanga, Lualaba Province, Lualaba, and ...
**Kolwezi
Kolwezi or Kolwesi is the capital city of Lualaba Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Likasi. It has an airport and a railway to Lubumbashi. Just outside of Kolwezi there is the static inverter plant of the ...
** Lualaba
** Tanganyika
See also
* Districts of the Congo Free State *Districts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo were divided into 26 districts. Those in turn were divided into territories or Communes of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, communes.
P ...
*Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Article 2 of the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo divides the country into the capital city of Kinshasa and 25 named provinces. It also gives the capital the status of a province. Therefore, in many contexts Kinshasa is ...
References
Sources
* * * * * * {{refend