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Civic Heraldry of Congo
(former Zaire)

KINSHASA

Kinshasa is the capital of Congo. The city is today the biggest urban metropolis of Black Africa with a population of about 5 million inhabitants today. It is the main administrative, cultural and economic centre of the country. It is there that ends the river traffic on Congo, that numerous rapids make impracticable between Kinshasa and the sea.
Kinshasa was founded in April, 1882 by the English - American explorer, sir Henry Morton Stanley, which gave the name "Leopoldville " to this station settled on the left bank of Malebo Pool (former Stanley Pool), from the name of Leopold II, king of Belgians, for whom he acted. This station was the base of the investigation and the colonization of the Congolese territories.
In 1920, Leopoldville replaced Boma to the rank of capital of Belgian Congo and obtained full city status on August 10, 1923. The arms were granted on March 15, 1925. They were the first one granted by the Belgian colonial administration to a Congolese city. The arms show the Congo river and the capital L, the (old) town's initial.

These arms were used until June 30, 1960, the date of the Independence of the country. It seems that they were even used later. It is however possible that the royal crown was removed after 1960.

Literature : Pierloz Patrick : « L'héraldique civique du Congo belge (1908 - 1960) » (" Civic Heraldry of Belgian Congo (on 1908 - 1960 ) , in " Kisugulu ", N 75, in March, 2001. Images and information provided by Patrick Pierloz, Belgium.


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