Democratic Republic of the Congo

Historical eventDecember 231970

Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo officially becomes a one-party state.

Everything on December 23Original source
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 4.0

In context

When
Wednesday, December 23 197056 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1970s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 1970.

What happened

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo, and formerly named Zaire, is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is the second-largest country in Africa and the eleventh-largest in the world. With a population of about 124 million people, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the fourth-most populous country in Africa and the most populous Francophone country in the world. French is the official and most widely spoken language.

December 23 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1970Democratic Republic of the Congo
  2. 1997Pioneer Helmet
  3. 2002General Atomics MQ-1 Predator
  4. 2003PetroChina
  5. 2005Antonov An-140
  6. 2007Kingdom of Nepal
  7. 20082008 Guinean coup d'état
  8. 2008Republic of Guinea Armed Forces
  9. 20152015 Sabiha Gökçen Airport bombing
  10. 20232023 Plateau State massacres
  11. 2025Harmony Jets Flight 185

Also in 1970

  • May 11Lubbock, TexasLubbock, Texas, was struck by a tornado that left 26 people dead.
  • September 9Popular Front for the Liberation of PalestineA British airliner is hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and flown to Dawson's Field in Jordan.
  • September 17AmmanThe Jordanian army entered Amman as part of operations to oust Palestinian fedayeen from the country in events later known as Black Septe…
  • September 51970 Italian Grand PrixDuring the practice session of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza Circuit, Jochen Rindt was killed and subsequently became motor racing's on…
  • September 5Vietnam WarVietnam War: Operation Jefferson Glenn begins: The United States 101st Airborne Division and the South Vietnamese 1st Infantry Division i…
  • November 17Vietnam WarVietnam War: Lieutenant William Calley goes on trial for the My Lai Massacre.
  • November 17Luna programmeLuna programme: The Soviet Union lands Lunokhod 1 on Mare Imbrium (Sea of Rains) on the Moon. This is the first roving remote-controlled…
  • November 5Military Assistance Command, VietnamThe Military Assistance Command, Vietnam reports the lowest weekly American soldier death toll in five years (24).

Everything we record for 1970 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Democratic Republic of the Congo”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/democratic-republic-of-the-congo-1970-december-23, accessed October 27, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Democratic Republic of the Congo happen?

December 23 1970 — 56 years ago, on a Wednesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.