The Congo became a colony of Belgium from 1885. The Belgian rule was repressive and exploitative, and in 1908 the Congo was annexed by Belgium in an effort to correct those abuses.
     The stamp was issued by the Belgian Congo in 1955 to mark the meeting of the Fifth International Congress of African Tourism. On a silhouette map of the African continent the Belgian Congo is shown as a darker silhouette.

     After World War II there was an increasing call for separation which culminated in the achievement of independence in 1960. as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Independence did not bring political unity in Congo. Several provinces seceded,  and political leaders were assassinated. In 1998 the name was changed to the Republic of Zaire.

     This stamp, issued on the 10th anniversary of independence has a picture of Mobutu Sese Seko who declared himself President in 1965 and held that position until he fled into exile in 1997.