Former place names in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
# Former place names in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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 | Aketi Port-Chaltin | Aketi-Chaltinhaven | Named in honour of Louis-Napoléon Chaltin, a colonial military officer of the Congo Free State. |
| Bandundu | Banningville | Banningstad | Named in honour of Émile Banning, influential Belgian civil servant and confidant of Leopold II |
| Boteka | Flandria | Flandria | Flanders, a region in Belgium |
| Bukavu | Costermansville | Costermansstad | Named in honour of Paul Costermans, colonial administrator in the Free State, in 1927 |
| Djokupunda | Charlesville | Charlesstad | |
| Gombe (Kinshasa) | Kalina | Kalina | Named in honour of E. Kalina, an Austrian soldier who died in 1883. |
| Ilebo | Port-Francqui | Francquihaven | Named in honour of Émile Francqui, businessman and philanthropist |
| Isiro | Paulis | Paulis | Named in honour of Albert Paulis |
| Kalemie | Albertville | Albertstad | Named in honour of King Albert I |
| Kananga | Luluabourg | Luluaburg | Named after the nearby Lulua river |
| Kasa-Vubu (Kinshasa) | Dendale | Dendale | |
| Kikwit | Poto-Poto | Poto-Poto | |
| Kindu | Kindu Port-Émpain | Kindu Empain-Haven | Named in honour of Edouard Empain, Belgian industrialist |
| Kinshasa | Léopoldville | Leopoldstad | Named in honour of King Leopold II, King-Sovereign of the Congo Free State |
| Kirungu | Baudouinville | Boudewijnstad | Named in honour of Prince Baudouin, nephew (and intended successor) of Leopold II |
| Kisangani | Stanleyville | Stanleystad | Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer |
| Kwilu Ngongo | Moerbeke | Moerbeke | Named after the Belgian hometown of Maurice Lippens, a major investor in the local sugar industry |
| Likasi | Jadotville | Jadotstad | Named in honour of Jean Jadot [fr], businessman and industrialist |
| Lingwala (Kinshasa) | Saint-Jean | Saint-Jean | Named after St John the Apostle |
| Lubao | Sentery | Sentery | |
| Lubumbashi | Élisabethville | Elisabethstad | Named in honour of Queen Elisabeth |
| Lufu-Toto | Cattier | Cattier | Named in honour of Félicien Cattier, businessman |
| Luila | Wolter | Wolter | |
| Lokandu | Riba-Riba | Riba-Riba | |
| Lokutu | Elisabetha | Elisabetha | Named in honour of Queen Elisabeth |
| Lusanga | 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. |
| Makanza | Nouvelle-Anvers | Nieuw Antwerpen | Named after the Belgian port city of Antwerp |
| Makiso | Stanley | Stanley | Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer and namesake of Stanleyville |
| Mapangu | Brabanta | Brabanta | Named after Brabant in Belgium |
| Matonge (Kinshasa) | Renkin | Renkin | Named in honour of Jules Renkin, Belgian politician, Colonial Minister (1908–18) and later Prime Minister (1931–32) |
| Mbandaka | Coquilhatville | Cocquilhatstad | Named in honour of Camille Coquilhat, colonial administrator and town's founder. |
| Mbanza-Ngungu | Thysville | Thysstad | Named in honour of Albert Thys, Belgian colonist and businessman |
| Mobayi-Mbongo | Banzyville | Banzystad | |
| Mbuji-Mayi | Bakwanga | Bakwanga | |
| Ngaliema (Kinshasa) | Stanley | Stanley | Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer |
| Nsiamfumu | Vista | Vista | |
| Tshilundu | Mérode | Mérode | Named after the House of Mérode |
| Ubundu | Ponthierville | Ponthierstad | Named in honour of the Pierre Ponthier [fr], colonial soldier |

## Landmarks and geographic terms

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