evidence: The existence of two countries named "Congo"—the Republic of the Congo (capital: Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (capital: Kinshasa)—is primarily the result of colonial history, where different European powers colonized adjacent regions in Central Africa and named them after the Congo River. [...] - French Congo (now Republic of the Congo): The area on the north side of the Congo River was claimed by France and became known as the French Congo (part of French Equatorial Africa). It eventually became the Republic of the Congo, with its capital in Brazzaville. - Belgian Congo (now Democratic Republic of the Congo): The area on the south side of the Congo River was claimed by Belgium. This territory became known as the Congo Free State, a personal property of King Leopold II of Belgium, and later became the Belgian Congo. It eventually became the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with its capital in Kinshasa.