The Belgian Colonial Empire was a collection of territories controlled by Belgium from the late 19th century until the mid-20th century. The most notable colony was Congo Free State, which was personally owned by King Leopold II before becoming a Belgian colony in 1908. The empire also included smaller territories in Rwanda and Burundi. Belgium's colonial rule was marked by exploitation and harsh treatment of local populations, particularly in the Congo, where forced labor and resource extraction were prevalent. The empire began to decline after World War II, leading to the independence of its colonies in the 1960s, which significantly reshaped Belgium's global influence.