What was the rubber from the Congo used for?

Congolese workers were sent out into the jungle to slash down vines and layer their bodies with rubber latex. Later they would scrape it off their skin – often taking flesh and hair with it.

How many Congolese died under Leopold?

10 million people
How did Leopold II become famous? Although Leopold II established Belgium as a colonial power in Africa, he is best known for the widespread atrocities that were carried out under his rule, as a result of which as many as 10 million people died in the Congo Free State.

Why did they chop off hands in the Congo?

To make up for the low production, troops began to use hands as currency – chopping them was a way of punishing workers who did not fulfill their quotas, and, at the same time, served to show that soldiers were doing their part in exerting pressure over the local population to ensure the fulfillment of these quotas.

Where is rubber found in Africa?

Africa had five leading producers of rubber which were French Guinea, Angola, The Gold Coast, French Congo, and probably the most important of them all is the Congo Free State. The Ivory Coast and German East Africa also experienced booms of their own. As the production of rubber grew so did the demand for it.

Where did the rubber from the Belgian Congo come from?

Belgium’s leader King Leopold turned his attention to Central Africa where a rubber vine from the genus Landolphia grows. During the colonial centuries sub-Saharan Africa was one of the leading rubber producing regions in the world with large quantities coming from British territories west Africa and the Belgian Congo.

How did the rubber boom affect the Congo Free State?

The rubber boom transformed what had been an unexceptional colonial system before 1890 and led to significant profits. Exports rose from 580 to 3,740 tons between 1895 and 1900. In order to facilitate economic extraction from the colony, land was divided up under the so-called Domain System ( régime domanial) in 1891.

What did the Abir Congo Company do for a living?

The ABIR Congo Company (founded as the Anglo-Belgian India Rubber Company and later known as the Compagnie du Congo Belge) was the company appointed to exploit natural rubber in the Congo Free State. ABIR enjoyed a boom through the late 1890s, by selling a kilogram of rubber in Europe for up to 10 fr which had cost them just 1.35 fr.

What was the main industry of the Belgian Congo?

The Rubber Industry. In the 1890’s, rubber saw a major price boom with the invention of inflatable rubber bicycle tubes and the growing popularity of the automobile. This led to massive profits for the Belgian colonists in the Congo and increased exploitation of the native population.

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