Decolonization of Africa: Quick Facts

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The National Independence Monument in Lome, Togo features a large concrete structure with abstract cutouts and a central statue holding a star, surrounded by landscaped greenery.

Map of Africa highlighting the countries that made up historical British West Africa-Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria-in orange, with the rest of the continent and surrounding regions shown in gray for context. A small inset map in the lower left shows the location within the African continent.

Nigeria in 1960

Map of Africa highlighting the historical territory of French West Africa in orange, covering present-day Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Niger in the western part of the continent. Surrounding countries and bodies of water are shown in gray and blue for geographic context.

Félix Houphouët-Boigny

Léopold Sédar Senghor

Ahmed Sekou Toure, president of Guinea, sits at a desk with microphones, wearing a traditional cap and white clothing, with a large portrait of himself in the background.

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Timeline of European colonization of Africa decolonization What was the last sub-Saharan African country to gain independence?What is the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence?