of 1884-85. By 1905, African soil was almost completely controlled by European governments, with the only exceptions being
(which had successfully resisted colonization by Italy).
also had colonies. As a result of colonialism and imperialism, Africa suffered long term effects, such as the loss of important natural resources like gold and rubber, economic devastation, cultural confusion, geopolitical division, and political subjugation. Europeans often justified this using the concept of the White Man's Burden, an obligation to "civilize" the peoples of Africa.
saw the colonies help their colonial masters fight against an unknown enemy, but with no mention of independence for African nations. Future Prime Ministers Henrik Verwoerd and
until 1943. German wartime propaganda had a part in this defiance of British rule. Imperial Japan's conquests in the
caused a shortage of raw materials such as rubber and various minerals. Africa was therefore forced to compensate for this shortage and greatly benefited from this change. Another key problem the Europeans faced were the
. This reduced the amount of raw materials being transported to Europe and prompted the creation of local industries in Africa. Local industries in turn caused the creation of new towns, and existing towns doubled in size. As urban community and industry grew so did trade unions. In addition to trade unions, urbanization brought about increased literacy, which allowed for pro-independence newspapers.
met to discuss the postwar world. The result was the
. One of the provisions in this document that was introduced by Roosevelt was the autonomy of imperial colonies. Therefore after World War II, there was pressure on
to abide by the terms of the Atlantic Charter. When
introduced the Charter to Parliament, he purposely mistranslated the colonies to be recently captured countries by
in order to get it passed. After the war, African colonies were still considered "children" and "immature" therefore democratic government was only introduced at the local levels.
By the 1930s, the colonial powers had carefully cultivated a small elite of leaders educated in Western universities and familiar with ideas such as
. These leaders, including some major nationalists such as Kenyatta (
| Country |
Colonial name |
Colonial power |
Independence date |
First head of state |
War for independence |
EthiopiaEthiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...
| colspan="2" align="center"| establishmentEthiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, with the one of the longest recorded histories in the world.- Earliest history :Ethiopia has seen human habitation for longer than almost anywhere else in the world, possibly being the location where humans evolved.Evidence of Naqadan contacts...
as the
Kingdom of Aksum
| 4th century BC
| Menelik IMenelik I , first Jewish Emperor of Ethiopia, is traditionally believed to be the son of King Solomon of ancient Israel and Makeda, Queen of Sheba and ruled around 950 BC, according to traditional sources...
| - |
LiberiaLiberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2008 Census, the nation is home to 3,476,608 people and covers ....
| Commonwealth of Liberia
| American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
| July 26, 1847
| Joseph Jenkins Roberts Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the first and seventh President of Liberia. Roberts was born in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, and emigrated to Liberia in 1829. He opened a trading store in Monrovia, and later engaged in politics. When Liberia became independent in 1847 he became the first president and...
| - |
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
| South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
| Britain
| 11 December 1931
| J. B. M. Hertzog
| - |
LibyaLibya , officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya , is a country located in North Africa...
| LibyaLibya , officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya , is a country located in North Africa...
| Italy
| December 24, 1951
| IdrisIdris, GBE born Sayyid Muhammad Idris bin Sayyid Muhammad al-Mahdi al-Senussi was the only King of Libya, reigning from 1951 to 1969 and the Chief of the Senussi Muslim order.-Early life:...
| - |
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
| EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
| Britain
| 1922/1936/1953
| n/a
| Urabi RevoltThe Urabi Revolt or Orabi Revolt , also known as the Orabi Revolution, was an uprising in Egypt in 1879-82 against the Khedive and European influence in the country. It was led by and named after Colonel Ahmed Urabi.-Prologue:Egypt in the 1870s was under occupation, corrupt, misgoverned and in a...
, Suez CrisisThe Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, was a military attack on Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel beginning on 29 October 1956....
|
SudanSudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
| SudanSudan is a country in northeastern Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab World, and tenth largest in the world by area...
| Britain
| January 1, 1956
| Ismail al-AzhariIsmail al-Azhari was a Sudanese nationalist and political figure. He served as the prime minister of Sudan between 1954 and 1956, and as president of Sudan from 1964 until he was overthrown by Gaafar Nimeiry in 1969 ....
| - |
TunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian Republic , is a country located in North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. Tunisia is located southwest of the island of Sicily and south of Sardinia. Its size is almost 165,000 km² with an estimated population of just...
| TunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian Republic , is a country located in North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. Tunisia is located southwest of the island of Sicily and south of Sardinia. Its size is almost 165,000 km² with an estimated population of just...
| France
| March 20, 1956
| Muhammad VIII al-AminMuhammad VIII al-Amin was the last bey of Tunisia . He was the first head of state of independent Tunisia from 1956 until he was deposed in 1957...
| - |
MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
| MoroccoMorocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in North Africa with a population of nearly 32 million and an area just under . Its capital is Rabat, and its largest city is Casablanca. Morocco has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean that reaches past the Strait of Gibraltar into the...
| France
| April 7, 1956
| Mohammed V
| Rif WarThe Rif War of 1920, also called the Second Moroccan War, was fought between Spain and the Moroccan Rif and J'bala tribes.-Early Stages:...
, Ifni WarThe Ifni War, sometimes called the Forgotten War in Spain , was a series of armed incursions into Spanish West Africa by Moroccan insurgents and Sahrawi rebels that began in October 1957 and culminated with the abortive siege of Sidi Ifni.The war, which may be seen as part of the general movement...
|
GhanaThe Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa which borders Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
| Gold CoastGold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese, in 1471. Upon their arrival, they encountered a variety of African kingdoms some of whom controlled substantial...
| Britain
| March 6, 1957
| Kwame NkrumahKwame Nkrumah , was an influential 20th century advocate of Pan-Africanism, and the leader of Ghana and its predecessor state, the Gold Coast, from 1952 to 1966.-Early life and education:...
| - |
GuineaGuinea, officially Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa formerly known as French Guinea . The country's current population is estimated at 10,211,437 ....
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| October 2, 1958
| Sékou Touré
| - |
CameroonThe Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of...
| CamerounCameroun was a French mandate territory in central Africa, now constituting the majority of the territory of the Republic of Cameroon.The area of present-day Cameroon was integrated to French Equatorial Africa during the "Scramble for Africa" at the end of the 19th century...
| France, Britain
| January 1, 1960
| Ahmadou AhidjoAhmadou Babatoura Ahidjo was the first President of Cameroon from 1960 until 1982.-Early life:Ahidjo was born in Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River in northern Cameroun, which was at the time a French mandate territory. His father was a Fulani village chief, while his mother was a...
| UPC rebellionThe Union of the Peoples of Cameroon is a political party in Cameroon.UPC was founded on April 10 1948, at a meeting in the bar Chez Sierra in Bassa. 12 men assisted the founding meeting, out of them Charles Assalé, Léonard Bouli, Guillaume Bagal. The majoirity of the participants were trade...
|
TogoTogo is a country in West Africa bordering Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located...
| French TogolandFrench Togoland was a France Mandate territory in West Africa, which later became the Togolese Republic.-Mandate territory:On August 26 1914, the German protectorate of Togoland was invaded by French and British forces and fell after five days of brief resistance...
| France
| April 27, 1960
| Sylvanus OlympioSylvanus Epiphanio Olympio was a Togolese political figure.-Political career:Olympio served as the Prime Minister of Togo from 1958 to 1961, during which time he held elections to consolidate his power. He then served as the first President of Togo between 1961 and 1963, obtaining seats in an...
| - |
MaliMali, officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked nation in Western Africa. Mali is the seventh largest country in Africa, bordering Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west...
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| June 20, 1960
| Modibo KeitaModibo Keita ; was the first President of Mali and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism.- Youth :...
| - |
SenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south, and it also encircles The Gambia on its three sides,...
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| June 20, 1960
| Léopold Senghor
| - |
MadagascarMadagascar, or Republic of Madagascar , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. The main island, also called Madagascar, is the fourth-largest island in the world, and is home to 5% of the world's plant and animal species, of which more than 80% are endemic to...
| Malagasy ProtectorateThe Malagasy Protectorate was a French protectorate in what is now Madagascar. Its status was to protect the Kingdom of Imerina. It ended in 1897 as Madagascar became a French colony....
| France
| June 26, 1960
| Philibert TsirananaPhilibert Tsiranana was a Malagasy politician and leader, who served as the first President of Madagascar from 1959 to 1972. He epitomized the country from 1960 to the end of his presidency. As the first president of the growing republic, Tsiranana was considered wise and talented, making him a...
| Malagasy Uprising |
DR Congo
| Belgian CongoThe Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and the dawn of Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Background: 1884-1908:Until the later...
| Belgium
| June 30, 1960
| Joseph Kasa-VubuJoseph Kasa-Vubu was the first President of the Republic of the Congo, today called Democratic Republic of the Congo....
| Congo CrisisThe Congo Crisis was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu...
|
SomaliaSomalia , officially the Republic of Somalia and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic, is a country located in the Horn of Africa...
| Italian SomalilandItalian Somaliland was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1941 in the territory of the modern-day Northeast African nation of Somalia.-History:...
, British SomalilandBritish Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. The protectorate incorporated much of what now constitutes the Puntland and Somaliland macro-regions of Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, the Ogaden,...
| Italy, Britain
| July 1, 1960
| Aden Abdullah Osman DaarAden Abdulle Osman Daar was a Somali politician and the country's first President from July 1 1960 to June 10 1967.-Biography:Daar was born near the Ogaden in the town of Beledweyne to a Mudulood Hawiye family....
| - |
BeninBenin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north; its short coastline to the south leads to the Bight of Benin....
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| August 1, 1960
| Hubert MagaCoutoucou Hubert Maga was a politician from Dahomey . [Dahomey was renamed Benin in 1975. See .] He arose on a political scene where one's power was dictated by what region in Dahomey they lived...
| - |
NigerNiger , officially the Republic of Niger is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| August 3, 1960
| Hamani DioriHamani Diori was the first President of the Republic of Niger. He was appointed to that office in 1960, when Niger gained independence.-Early life:...
| - |
Burkina FasoBurkina Faso , also known by its short-form name Burkina, is a landlocked nation in West Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the south east, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the south west.Its size is 274,000 km² with an...
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| August 5, 1960
| Maurice YaméogoMaurice Yaméogo was the first President of the Republic of Upper Volta, now called Burkina Faso. He proclaimed the independence of the country on August 5, 1960 and also tried to create a union between Cote d'Ivoire and Upper-Volta...
| - |
Côte d'Ivoire' , formerly named, and often referred to as the Ivory Coast, officially the ', is a country in West Africa. The government officially discourages the use of the name Ivory Coast in English, preferring the French name to be used in all languages.With an area of 322,462 km 2 Côte...
| Côte d'Ivoire' , formerly named, and often referred to as the Ivory Coast, officially the ', is a country in West Africa. The government officially discourages the use of the name Ivory Coast in English, preferring the French name to be used in all languages.With an area of 322,462 km 2 Côte...
| France
| August 7, 1960
| Félix Houphouët-BoignyFélix Houphouët-Boigny , affectionately called Papa Houphouët or Le Vieux, was the first President of Côte d'Ivoire...
| - |
ChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
| French Equatorial AfricaFrench Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert....
| France
| August 11, 1960
| François TombalbayeFrançois Tombalbaye, also called Ngarta Tombalbaye , was a teacher and a trade union activist who served as the first president of Chad. He was born in the southern region of the country in the Moyen-Chari Prefecture near the city of Koumara and was of the Sara ethnic group, the prominent ethnicity...
| - |
Central African RepublicThe Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa...
| French Equatorial AfricaFrench Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert....
| France
| August 13, 1960
| David DackoDavid Dacko was the first President of the Central African Republic , from August 14, 1960 to January 1, 1966, and the third president of the CAR from September 21, 1979 to September 1, 1981...
| - |
CongoThe Republic of the Congo , also known as Congo-Brazzaville or the Congo, is a country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated...
| French Equatorial AfricaFrench Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert....
| France
| August 15, 1960
| Fulbert YoulouAbbé Fulbert Youlou was a Brazzaville-Congolese Roman Catholic priest, nationalist leader and politician.-Early life:...
| - |
GabonGabon is a country in west central Africa sharing borders with the Gulf of Guinea to the west, Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, and Cameroon to the north, with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. Its size is almost 270,000 km² with an estimated population...
| French Equatorial AfricaFrench Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert....
| France
| August 17, 1960
| Léon M'baGabriel Léon M'ba was the first Prime Minister and President of Gabon. A member of the Fang ethnic group, M'ba was born into a relatively privileged village family. After studying at a seminary, he held a number of small jobs before entering the colonial administration as a customs agent...
| - |
NigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...
| NigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger...
| Britain
| October 1, 1960
| Nnamdi AzikiweBenjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe , usually referred to as Nnamdi Azikiwe, or, informally and popularly, as "Zik", was one of the leading figures of modern Nigerian nationalism and the first President of Nigeria, holding the position throughout the Nigerian First Republic.-Early life:Azikiwe was born on...
| - |
MauritaniaMauritania , officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, by Senegal on the southwest, by Mali on the east and southeast, by Algeria on the northeast, and by the Morocco-controlled Western Sahara on the northwest...
| French West AfricaFrench West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger. It was formed from individual coastal colonies which the French had first seized as trading posts in the 17th...
| France
| November 28, 1960
| Moktar Ould DaddahMoktar Ould Daddah was the President of Mauritania from 1960, when his country gained its independence from France, to 1978, when he was deposed in a military coup d'etat.- Background :...
| - |
Sierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north, Liberia in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has a population estimated at 6.4 million...
| Sierra LeoneSierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north, Liberia in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has a population estimated at 6.4 million...
| Britain
| April 27, 1961
| Milton MargaiSir Milton Augustus Strieby Margai was a Sierra Leonean politician and the first prime minister of Sierra Leone...
| - |
TanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in central East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.The United...
| TanganyikaTanganyika was an East African territory lying between the Indian Ocean and the largest of the African great lakes: Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika. From 9 December 1961 to 26 April 1964 it was also an independent nation. Once part of the colony of German East Africa , it comprised...
| Britain
| December 9, 1964
| Julius NyerereJulius Kambarage Nyerere served as the first President of Tanzania and previously Tanganyika, from the country's founding in 1961 until his retirement in 1985....
| - |
RwandaThe Republic of Rwanda is a small landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of east-central Africa, bordered by Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. Home to approaching 10 million people, Rwanda supports the densest population in continental Africa, most of whom...
| Ruanda-UrundiRuanda-Urundi was a Belgian suzerainty from 1916 to 1924, a League of Nations Class B Mandate from 1924 to 1945 and then a UN trust territory until 1962, when it became the independent states of Rwanda and Burundi.- Overview :...
| Belgium
| July 1, 1962
| Grégoire KayibandaGrégoire Kayibanda was the first elected President of the Republic of Rwanda. He was born in Tare, Rwanda, and came from the south of the country...
| - |
BurundiBurundi , officially the Republic of Burundi, is a country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its size is just under 28,000 km² with an estimated population of...
| Ruanda-UrundiRuanda-Urundi was a Belgian suzerainty from 1916 to 1924, a League of Nations Class B Mandate from 1924 to 1945 and then a UN trust territory until 1962, when it became the independent states of Rwanda and Burundi.- Overview :...
| Belgium
| July 1, 1962
| Mwambutsa IV
| - |
AlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...
| AlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country located in North Africa. It is the largest country on the Mediterranean sea, the second largest on the African continent and the eleventh-largest country in the world in terms of land area.It is bordered by Tunisia in...
| France
| July 3, 1962
| Ahmed Ben BellaMohamed Ahmed Ben Bella was the first President of Algeria.-Youth:...
| Algerian War of IndependenceThe Algerian War, also known as the Algerian War of Independence or in , was a conflict between France and Algerian independence movements from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria gaining its independence from France...
|
UgandaThe Republic of Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by Tanzania...
| British East AfricaBritish East Africa was an area of East Africa controlled by Britain in the late 19th century, which became a protectorate covering roughly the area of present-day Kenya...
| Britain
| October 9, 1962
| Milton OboteApolo Milton Obote , Prime Minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and President of Uganda from 1966 to 1971 and from 1980 to 1985, was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence from the British colonial administration in 1962. He ruled by harassing, terrorizing, and torturing...
| - |
KenyaThe Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean, at the equator, Kenya is bordered by Ethiopia , Somalia , Tanzania , Uganda plus Lake Victoria , and Sudan . The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya spans an area about 85% the size of France or Texas...
| British East AfricaBritish East Africa was an area of East Africa controlled by Britain in the late 19th century, which became a protectorate covering roughly the area of present-day Kenya...
| Britain
| December 12, 1963
| Jomo KenyattaJomo Kenyatta[pron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya.He was succeeded by Daniel arap Moi after his death in August 1978....
| Mau Mau UprisingThe Mau Mau Uprising of 1952 to 1960 was an insurgency by Kenyan peasants against the British colonialist rule. The core of the resistance was formed by members of the Kikuyu ethnic group, along with smaller numbers of Embu and Meru. The uprising failed militarily, though it hastened Kenyan...
|
MalawiThe Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast and Mozambique, which surrounds it on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by...
| NyasalandNyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. It is now known as Malawi....
| Britain
| July 6, 1964
| Hastings Kamuzu Banda
| - |
ZambiaThe Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is...
| Northern RhodesiaNorthern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia. Although it had features of a charter colony the territory's treaties and...
| Britain
| October 24, 1964
| Kenneth KaundaKenneth David Kaunda, affectionately known as KK served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:...
| - |
The GambiaThe Gambia , commonly known as Gambia, is a country in Western Africa. The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, bordered to the north, east, and south by Senegal, and has a small coast on the Atlantic Ocean in the west.Its borders roughly correspond to the path of the Gambia River,...
| Gambia
| Britain
| February 18, 1965
| Dawda Kairaba Jawara
| - |
BotswanaThe Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Citizens of Botswana are called "Batswana" , regardless of ethnicity. Formerly a British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
| Bechuanaland
| Britain
| September 30, 1966
| Seretse KhamaSir Seretse Khama, KBE was an African stateman. Born into the royal family of what was then the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, and educated abroad in neighbouring South Africa and in the United Kingdom, he returned home -- with a popular but controversial bride -- to lead his country's...
| - |
LesothoLesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over 30,000 km² in size with an estimated population of almost 1,800,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is the southernmost...
| BasutolandBasutoland or officially the Territory of Basutoland, was a British crown colony established in 1884 after the Cape Colony's inability to control the territory...
| Britain
| October 4, 1966
| Leabua JonathanJoseph Leabua Jonathan was the first Prime Minister of Lesotho. He held that post from 1965 to 1970, and then as unelected Tona Kholo until 1986 when the military overthrew his government.Born in Leribe, Jonathan was a minor chief, like many others a great-grandson of the polygamous King...
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MauritiusMauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation off the coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar. In addition to the island of Mauritius, the Republic includes the islands of Cargados Carajos, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands...
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| Britain
| March 12, 1968
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SwazilandThe Kingdom of Swaziland , sometimes called Ngwane, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south, and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique. The nation, as well as its people, are named after the 19th century king Mswati II.Swaziland is a small country, no...
| SwazilandThe Kingdom of Swaziland , sometimes called Ngwane, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south, and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique. The nation, as well as its people, are named after the 19th century king Mswati II.Swaziland is a small country, no...
| Britain
| September 6, 1968
| Sobhuza II
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Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea is a country located in Central Africa. With an area of 28,000 km 2 it is one of the smallest countries in continental Africa. It has a population estimated at half a million...
| Spanish GuineaSpanish Guinea was an African colony of Spain that became the independent nation of Equatorial Guinea.-History:The Portuguese explorer, Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1472. He called it Formosa , but it quickly took on the name of...
| Spain
| October 12, 1968
| Francisco Macías NguemaFrancisco Macías Nguema was the first President of Equatorial Guinea, from 1968 until his overthrow in 1979.-Rise to Power:...
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Guinea-BissauThe Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in western Africa, and one of the smallest states in continental Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
| Portuguese GuineaPortuguese Guinea was the name for what is today Guinea-Bissau from 1446 to September 10, 1974.-History:...
| Portugal
| September 24, 1973
| Luis CabralLuis Cabral may refer to:*Luis Cabral , a Portuguese Protestant evangelist*Luís Cabral, president of Guinea-Bissau...
| Guinea-Bissau War of IndependenceGuinea-Bissau War of Independence was an armed conflict and national liberation struggle in Guinea-Bissau between 1963 and 1974.- Background :...
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MozambiqueMozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. It was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498...
| Portuguese East AfricaPortuguese East Africa is the common name by which the Portuguese Empire's territorial expansion in East Africa was known across different periods of time...
| Portugal
| June 25, 1975
| Samora MachelSamora Moisés Machel was a Mozambican military commander, revolutionary socialist leader and eventual President of Mozambique...
| Mozambican War of IndependenceThe Mozambican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the guerrilla forces of the Mozambique Liberation Front or FRELIMO , and Portugal...
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Cape VerdeThe Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago located in the Macaronesia ecoregion of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa, opposite Mauritania and Senegal....
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| Portugal
| July 5, 1975
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| influenced by Guinea-Bissau War of IndependenceGuinea-Bissau War of Independence was an armed conflict and national liberation struggle in Guinea-Bissau between 1963 and 1974.- Background :...
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ComorosThe Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northern Madagascar and northeastern Mozambique...
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| France
| July 6, 1975
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São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Africa. It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about apart and about , respectively, off the...
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| Portugal
| July 12, 1975
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AngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province of Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the...
| AngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province of Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the...
(also known as Portuguese West AfricaAngola is the common name by which the Portuguese Empire's territorial expansion in South-West Africa was known across different periods of time...
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| Portugal
| November 11, 1975The Alvor Agreement, signed on January 15, 1975, granted Angola independence from Portugal on November 11, ending the war for independence while marking the transition to civil war...
| Agostinho NetoAntónio Agostinho Neto served as the first President of Angola , leading the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the war for independence and the civil war...
| Angolan War of IndependenceThe Angolan War of Independence began as an uprising against forced cotton harvesting, and became a multi-faction struggle for control of Portugal's Overseas Province of Angola with 11 separatist movements...
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SeychellesSeychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar...
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| Britain
| June 29, 1976
|James Richard Marie ManchamSir James Richard Marie Mancham KBE was the first President of Seychelles from 1976 to 1977. His father, Richard Mancham, a successful businessman, sent James to law school in England. When Britain announced its intention to give independence to the colony, Mancham founded the Democratic Party ,...
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DjiboutiDjibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. On the other side of the Red Sea, on...
| French SomalilandThe French Somali Coast , better known as French Somaliland , was a French colony in East Africa that lasted from 1896 until 1967, when it was renamed the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. It occupied the territory of present-day Djibouti.-See also:* List of colonial heads of French...
| France
| June 27, 1977
| Hassan Gouled AptidonHassan Gouled Aptidon was the first President of Djibouti from 1977 to 1999....
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ZimbabweZimbabwe , is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers...
| Southern RhodesiaSouthern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa, and known today as Zimbabwe.-Origin as 'Rhodesia':...
| Britain
| April 18, 1980
| Robert MugabeRobert Gabriel Karigamombe Mugabe is the current President of Zimbabwe.He has held power as the head of government since 1980, as Prime Minister from 1980 to 1987, and as the first executive head of state since 1987...
| Rhodesian Bush WarThe Rhodesian Bush War—also known as the Zimbabwe War of Liberation or the Second Chimurenga—was a civil war in the former country of Rhodesia fought from July 1964 to 1979...
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NamibiaNamibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in Southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the east, and South Africa to the south and east...
| South West AfricaSouth-West Africa was the name of what is today the Republic of Namibia.-German colony:As a German colony from 1884 it was known as German South-West Africa...
| South Africa
| March 21, 1990
| Sam NujomaSamuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma (born 12 May 1929 in Ongandjera, South West Africa (now Omusati Region) was the first President of Namibia. He was inaugurated as President on 21 March 1990 and was subsequently re-elected in 1994 and...
| Namibian War of IndependenceThe South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, refers to the conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's Organisation ,...
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EritreaEritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast. The east and northeast of the country have an extensive coastline on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen...
| EritreaEritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast. The east and northeast of the country have an extensive coastline on the Red Sea, directly across from Saudi Arabia and Yemen...
| Ethiopia
| May 24, 1993
| Isaias AfewerkiIsaias Afewerki born 2 February 1946, is the first and current President of Eritrea, attaining that status after Eritrean independence from Ethiopia in 1993. Prior to that, he was the leader of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front, an armed movement determined to secure Eritrean independence...
| Eritrean War of IndependenceThe Eritrean War of Independence was a conflict fought between the Ethiopian government and Eritrean separatists, both before and during the Ethiopian Civil War....
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Sahrawi Republic 1
| Spanish SaharaSpanish Sahara was the name used for the modern territory of Western Sahara when it was ruled as a territory by Spain between 1884 and 1975. The territory represented one of the last remnants of the Spanish Empire, and was abandoned under internal pressures from native populations and the external...
/ Moroccan Sahara
| Spain / Morocco
| February 27, 1976 / Currently
| El-Ouali Mustapha SayedEl-Ouali Mustapha Sayed was a Sahrawi nationalist leader.-Youth and background:El-Ouali was born circa 1948 in a Sahrawi nomad encampment somewhere on the hammada desert plains in eastern Western Sahara or Algeria; some sources give his place of birth as Bir Lehlou, a location that is symbolic...
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| Western Sahara WarThe Western Sahara War was the armed conflict which saw the Sahrawi rebel Polisario Front battling Spain, Morocco and Mauritania for the independence of the former Spanish colony of Western Sahara from 1973 to 1991. The war first resulted with the Spanish retreat in 1975, the Mauritanian retreat...
/ Saharawi Intifada |
(which annexed the entire territory in 1979), rendering the declared independence of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic ineffective to the present day (it controls only a small portion east of the
). Since Spain did not have the right to give away Western Sahara, under international law
the territory is still under Spanish administration. However, the