Kóngò Bẹ́ljíọ̀m

Congo belge (French) Belgisch-Kongo (Dutch) Belgian Congo Belgian colony ← 1908–1960 → Flag Coat of arms Motto Travail et Progrès (“Work and Progress”) Location of Congo The Belgian Congo Capital Léopoldville/Leopoldstad Language(s) French (de facto official) Dutch (majority of whites) more than 200 indigenous languages Political structure Colony King of the Belgians  - 1908–09 Léopold II  - 1909–34 Albert I  - 1934–51 Léopold III  - 1951–60 Baudouin I Governor-general  - 1908–10 Théophile Wahis  - 1946–51 Eugène Jungers  - 1958–60 Henri Cornelis History  - Established 15 November, 1908  - Independence 30 June, 1960  - Secessions¹ July–August 1960 Area  - 1960 2,344,858 km2 (905,355 sq mi) Population  - 1960 est. 16,610,000       Density 7.1 /km2  (18.3 /sq mi) Currency Congolese franc ¹ Secession of Katanga on 11 July and South Kasai on 8 August 1960 Warning: Value specified for "continent" does not comply

The Belgian Congo (French: Congo Belge; Dutch: Belgisch-Kongo ) was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between King Leopold II’s formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.