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.
Palais de la Nation (Kinshasa)
The Palais de la Nation (French; Palace of the Nation) is a building in Gombe, Kinshasa, which since 2001 serves as the official residence of the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The "palais" was built in 1956 to a design by Marcel Lambrichs, as the official residence of the colonial Governor-General. It is located in the north of Kinshasa, on the banks of the Congo River.