The Democratic Republic of the Congo was once a former Belgian colony.
The Belgian Congo ( Congo Belge , Belgisch-Congo ) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa between 1908 and 1960 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC ) . Their ambivalence resulted in Leopold 's creating a colony on his own account . Belgian rule in the Congo was based on the `` colonial trinity '' ( trinité coloniale ) of state , missionary and private company interests . Democratic Republic of the Congo . In 1908 Belgium , despite initial reluctance , formally annexed the Free State from Leopold , which became the Belgian Congo . The Belgian Congo achieved independence on 30 June 1960 under the name Republic of the Congo ( Léopoldville ) .