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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | |
Kikwit | Poto-Poto[a] | |
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 | 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 | Named after St John the Apostle |
Lubao | Sentery | |
Lubumbashi | Élisabethville | Elisabethstad | Named in honour of Queen Elisabeth |
Lufu-Toto | Cattier | Named in honour of Félicien Cattier, businessman |
Luila | Wolter | |
Lokandu | Riba-Riba | |
Lokutu | 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 | Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer and namesake of Stanleyville |
Mapangu | Brabanta | Named after Brabant in Belgium |
Matonge (Kinshasa) | Renkin | Named in honour of Jules Renkin, Belgian politician, Colonial Minister (1908–18) and later Prime Minister (1931–32) |
Mbandaka | Coquilhatville[b] | 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 | |
Ngaliema (Kinshasa) | Stanley | Named in honour of Henry Morton Stanley, explorer |
Nsiamfumu | Vista | |
Nzoro | Vankerckhovenville | Vankerckhovenstad | Named in honour of Belgian explorer Willem Frans Van Kerckhoven |
Tshilundu | Mérode | Named after the House of Mérode |
Ubundu | Ponthierville | Ponthierstad | Named in honour of the Pierre Ponthier [fr], colonial soldier |