ZAIRE
1971 - 1997
Congo is a name shared by two neighbouring countries in Central Africa,
largely drained by the Congo River and usually distinguished by their full official
names and occasionally by adding their capital cities:
- The Republic of the Congo (ROC), also known as
"Congo-Brazzaville" and locally as "Braza".
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, DR Congo
or "Congo-Kinshasa"). It was once the personal property of King Leopold II of
Belgium when it was Belgian
Congo.
It was known as "Zaire" (this page) from 1971 to 1997. During this time the other Congo came to be known simply as "Congo".
In 1960, Katanga Province declared its independence from the rest of Zaire and issued its own license plates. It rejoined Zaire in 1963 and was renamed Shaba province but later reverted to Katanga in 1997.
ISO: ZR
