Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Belgian Congo became an independent country in 1960, named Republic of the Congo. By 1963, the country was organised into 21 provinces (informally called "provincettes") plus the capital city of Léopoldville, similar to the original 22 districts under colonial rule. In 1966, the 21 "provincettes" were grouped into eight provinces, and the capital city was renamed Kinshasa.
Kasa-Vubu, Kinshasa
Along with Kalamu, it forms the historical African heart of Kinshasa. Formerly known as Dendale, the town's name derives from the first president of the Congo after independence, Joseph Kasa-Vubu, who was elected mayor of the commune in 1957.