Democratic Republic of the Congo République démocratique du Congo (French) Repubilika ya Kôngo ya Dimokalasi (Kongo) Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki (Lingala) Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo (Swahili) Ditunga dia Kongu wa Mungalaata (Luba-Katanga)
• Colonised | 17 November 1879
• Congo Free State | 1 July 1885
• Belgian Congo | 15 November 1908
• Independence from Belgium | 30 June 1960
• Admitted to the United Nations | 20 September 1960
• Renamed to Democratic Republic of Congo | 1 August 1964
• Republic of Zaire | 29 October 1971
• Fall of Mobutu | 17 May 1997
• Current constitution | 18 February 2006