congo free state: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

It was a sovereign state recognised by other powers, but it was unique in being the private property of King Leopold II, not a colony of the Belgian state until 1908.

The term was used at the Berlin Conference (1884-85) to describe a state open to free trade for all nations. In practice, it became a monopoly controlled by Leopold.

The Congo Free State (1885-1908) was a specific historical entity. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the modern sovereign nation that succeeded it after periods of Belgian colonial rule and independence.

International pressure and scandal over human rights abuses forced King Leopold II to relinquish control. The Belgian parliament annexed it as the Belgian Congo in 1908.

A historical state in Central Africa (1885–1908) privately owned and ruled by King Leopold II of Belgium, known for brutal exploitation of the local population for rubber and ivory.

Congo free state is usually academic / historical in register.

Congo free state: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒŋɡəʊ ˈfriː steɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːŋɡoʊ ˈfriː steɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.