Stanley Pool District (french: District du Stanley Pool, nl, District Stanley Pool), later named Moyen-Congo District was a district of the
Congo Free State and
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (french: Congo belge, ; nl, Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
Colo ...
.
It disappeared in a reorganization of 1914.
Congo Free State
Article 3 of the decree of 16 April 1887 provided for the Congo Free State to be divided into administrative districts headed by district commissioners, assisted by one or more deputies.
The decree of 1 August 1888 divided the Congo Free State into eleven districts, of which the first five were in the lower Congo region, including Stanley Pool District with its headquarters in
Léopoldville
Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one of ...
.
A map of the Congo Free State in 1897 shows the Stanley Pool District stretching along the east bank of the
Congo River
The Congo River ( kg, Nzâdi Kôngo, french: Fleuve Congo, pt, Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharge ...
upstream from the
Livingstone Falls
Livingstone Falls (French: ''Chutes Livingstone''; Dutch: ''Livingstonewatervallen''), named for British explorer David Livingstone, are a succession of enormous rapids on the lower course of the Congo River in west equatorial Africa, downs ...
past Léopoldville to just south of
Lukolela.
The district was named after
Stanley Pool, a widening of the Congo above Léopoldville.
It was bordered to the south by the
Cataractes District
Cataractes District was a district located in the Kongo Central province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It dated back to the days of the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo.
History
Article 3 of the decree of 16 April 1887 provided ...
, to the east by the
Kwango
Kwango is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's one of the 21 provinces created in the 2015 repartitioning. Kwango, Kwilu, and Mai-Ndombe provinces are the result of the dismemberment of the former Bandundu province. Kwa ...
,
Lualaba Kassai and
Lac Léopold II districts, and to the north by
Équateur District
Équateur District was a former district of the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In 1914 it became part of former Équateur Province.
The district went through various changes of extent and name over the year ...
.
The French territories were across the river to the west.
Belgian Congo
The Free State was annexed by Belgium in 1908 as the
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (french: Congo belge, ; nl, Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
Colo ...
.
On a 1910 map the Stanley Pool District had been renamed Moyen-Congo District, with various changes to the boundary.
It was now bordered by the
Bas-Congo District
Bas-Congo (french: District du Bas-Congo, nl, District Beneden-Congo) was a district of the Belgian Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It went through various significant changes in extent. It roughly corresponds to the present provin ...
to the south, Kwango and Lac Léopold II districts to the east, and Équateur district to the north.
A major reorganization in 1914 adjusted boundaries and grouped the districts into provinces.
A 1926 map shows a new urban district of Léopoldville had been created around the capital city, and Moyen-Congo District had been merged into Bas-Congo (south) and Lac Léopold II (north).
Maps
File:1888 districts Congo Free State cropped from 1950 administration map Atlas General du Congo 611.jpg, Districts of the Congo Free State in 1888
File:1895 districts Congo Free State cropped from 1950 administration map Atlas General du Congo 611.jpg, Districts of the Congo Free State in 1895
File:Mapcongo1914.jpg, 1914 districts. Stanley Pool renamed Moyen Congo
File:1926 provinces Belgian Congo cropped from 1950 administration map Atlas General du Congo 611.jpg, 1926 provinces and districts, Moyen Congo dissolved
See also
*
Districts of the Congo Free State
The Districts of the Congo Free State were the primary administrative divisions of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908.
There were various boundary changes in the period before the Congo Free State was annexed by Belgium to become the Belgian Co ...
*
Districts of the Belgian Congo
The Districts of the Belgian Congo were the primary administrative divisions when Belgium annexed the Congo Free State in 1908, each administered by a district commissioner.
In 1914 they were distributed among four large provinces, with some bound ...
References
Sources
* / http://www.kaowarsom.be/en/online_maps
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{{Authority control
Districts of the Congo Free State
Districts of the Belgian Congo