Chronological List of African Independence

Chronological List of African Independence Most nations in Africa were colonized by European states in the early modern era, including a burst of colonization in the Scramble for Africa from 1880 to 1900. But this condition was reversed over the course of the next century by independence movements. Here are the dates of independence for African nations. Country Independence Date Prior ruling country Liberia, Republic of July 26, 1847 - South Africa, Republic of May 31, 1910 Britain Egypt, Arab Republic of Feb. 28, 1922 Britain Ethiopia, People's Democratic Republic of May 5, 1941 Italy Libya (Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) Dec. 24, 1951 Britain Sudan, Democratic Republic of Jan. 1, 1956 Britain/Egypt Morocco, Kingdom of March 2, 1956 France Tunisia, Republic of March 20, 1956 France Morocco (Spanish Northern Zone, Marruecos) April 7, 1956 Spain Morocco (International Zone, Tangiers) Oct. 29, 1956 - Ghana, Republic of March 6, 1957 Britain Morocco (Spanish Southern Zone, Marruecos) April 27, 1958 Spain Guinea, Republic of Oct. 2, 1958 France Cameroon, Republic of Jan. 1 1960 France Senegal, Republic of April 4, 1960 France Togo, Republic of April 27, 1960 France Mali, Republic of Sept. 22, 1960 France Madagascar, Democratic Republic of June 26, 1960 France Congo (Kinshasa), Democratic Republic of the June 30, 1960 Belgium Somalia, Democratic Republic of July 1, 1960 Britain Benin, Republic of Aug. 1, 1960 France Niger, Republic of Aug. 3, 1960 France Burkina Faso, Popular Democratic Republic of Aug. 5, 1960 France Cà ´te d'Ivoire, Republic of (Ivory Coast) Aug. 7, 1960 France Chad, Republic of Aug. 11, 1960 France Central African Republic Aug. 13, 1960 France Congo (Brazzaville), Republic of the Aug. 15, 1960 France Gabon, Republic of Aug. 16, 1960 France Nigeria, Federal Republic of Oct. 1, 1960 Britain Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Nov. 28, 1960 France Sierra Leone, Republic of Apr. 27, 1961 Britain Nigeria (British Cameroon North) June 1, 1961 Britain Cameroon(British Cameroon South) Oct. 1, 1961 Britain Tanzania, United Republic of Dec. 9, 1961 Britain Burundi, Republic of July 1, 1962 Belgium Rwanda, Republic of July 1, 1962 Belgium Algeria, Democratic and Popular Republic of July 3, 1962 France Uganda, Republic of Oct. 9, 1962 Britain Kenya, Republic of Dec. 12, 1963 Britain Malawi, Republic of July 6, 1964 Britain Zambia, Republic of Oct. 24, 1964 Britain Gambia, Republic of The Feb. 18, 1965 Britain Botswana, Republic of Sept. 30, 1966 Britain Lesotho, Kingdom of Oct. 4, 1966 Britain Mauritius, State of March 12, 1968 Britain Swaziland, Kingdom of Sept. 6, 1968 Britain Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Oct. 12, 1968 Spain Morocco (Ifni) June 30, 1969 Spain Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Sept. 24, 1973(alt. Sept. 10, 1974) Portugal Mozambique, Republic of June 25. 1975 Portugal Cape Verde, Republic of July 5, 1975 Portugal Comoros, Federal Islamic Republic of the July 6, 1975 France So Tomà © and Principe, Democratic Republic of July 12, 1975 Portugal Angola, People's Republic of Nov. 11, 1975 Portugal Western Sahara Feb. 28, 1976 Spain Seychelles, Republic of June 29, 1976 Britain Djibouti, Republic of June 27, 1977 France Zimbabwe, Republic of April 18, 1980 Britain Namibia, Republic of March 21, 1990 South Africa Eritrea, State of May 24, 1993 Ethiopia Notes: Ethiopia  is usually considered to have never been colonized, but following the invasion by Italy in 1935-36 Italian settlers arrived. Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed and went into exile in the UK. He regained his throne on 5 May 1941 when he re-entered Addis Ababa with his troops. Italian resistance was not completely overcome until 27th November 1941.Guinea-Bissau  made a Unilateral Declaration of Independence on Sept. 24, 1973, now considered as Independence Day. However, independence was only recognized by Portugal on 10 September 1974 as a result of the Algiers Accord of Aug. 26, 1974.Western Sahara  was immediately seized by Morocco, a move contested by Polisario (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio del Oro).