 Formerly included in the Kingdom of Congo, the Kingdom of Loango became independent towards the end of the sixteenth century, at which time it extended from the mouth of the Kwilou to that of the River Congo.By the treaties of 1885 all this country, over which Portugal had till then exercised a somewhat uncertain sway, became part of French Congo, except the enclave of Cabinda which still remained under Portuguese control.The transference of civil dominion affected the ecclesiastical distribution of the territory.