Medieval Zaïre

Medieval Zaïre

It is believed that the Pygmies were the first inhabitants of the Congo region. Much later the Bantu & Nilotic peoples migrated into that region. By the 8th century the Congo was divided into kingdoms & empires. In the 1840's the Portuguese arrived & began trade with the native kingdoms of the Congo region. The native population of the Congo began a rapid decline in the 19th century through the establishment of a slave trade. [BM] {UA}