ABSTRACT
Archaeological evidence of past societies in the Congo are scanty due to the rain forest and tropical climate covering the northern half of the country and much of the Congo River Basin. Shortly thereafter, the French post on Kintamo Island was moved to the north bank of the Congo, where it became known as Brazzaville. Therefore, in 1878 another committee was organized under the title of the Committee for Upper Congo Studies, which later was known as the International Association of the Congo. On July 1, 1885, the name of the entity was changed to the Congo Free State, which was retained until it became a Belgian colony in 1908. An arrangement made between Belgium and France relative to the French right of preemption of a Belgian colony of the Congo was signed at Paris on February 5, 1895, but it was not ratified in consequence of the withdrawal of the treaty of cession.
