June 30 is set aside each year to mark the Independence Day of DR Congo. On June 30, 1960, the country achieved historic independence from Belgian colonial powers. Belgium’s meddling in Congo started in 1885, when King Leopold II created his own “Congo Free State” and took power. During his rule, the Congolese were subjected to severe persecution and forced labor; thankfully, this came to an end as a result of brave liberation movements. Belgium let go of its hold on the nation in 1960.
DR Congo’s Independence Day History
Zambia, Angola, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania are all neighbours of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is located in Central Africa. The Atlantic Ocean, the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, and Congo (Brazzaville) are its western and southern borders, respectively.
The “Kongo Empire” of the fourteenth century, which ruled over the southwest region of modern-day Congo, a piece of the Republic of the Congo, and Angola, is where the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be found. In what is now known as the southern Congo, the “Kuba Federation,” with comparable levels of development, also emerges. Due to internal slavery and conflict, the Kongo empires fell in the 1800s, 500 years after they first appeared.
In the name of the Belgians, Henry Morton Stanley started exploring what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Around fifteen years later, in 1885, King Leopold II of Belgium arrived, established, and started governing the “Congo Free State.” However, Leopold’s tyrannical reign resulted in the deaths of 10 million people as a result of the ‘free’ state’s infliction of forced labor and harsh working conditions on the Congolese. The first labour uprisings took place in 1941 but were brutally put down. Unfortunately, the Belgian government made 120 days of labour on all workers required a year later. After several populist uprisings, the Congo became independent of Belgium in 1960.
5 Interesting Facts About DR Congo
- It is a vast nation. DR Congo is the second-largest nation in Africa.
2. It has one of the most populous communities. Kinshasa, the capital of the DR Congo, is the largest metropolis in central Africa.
3. It has the earliest park in Africa. Virunga National Park, the earliest national park in Africa, is located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
4. The largest UN peacekeeping operation. The greatest United Nations peacekeeping mission with over 21,000 soldiers is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
5. Its watercourse is the deepest. The Congo River is the deepest and second-largest river in the globe, with a depth of approximately 220 metres (721.70 feet).