What is the first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence?

Written by

Amy McKenna

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 1, 2026 •History

Following a long period of European administration in Africa, in the 20th century many colonies agitated to regain their freedom. In sub-Saharan Africa, the first European colony to gain independence was Great Britain’s Gold Coast, which became independent under the name of Ghana on March 6, 1957. Beginning in the 1400s, European powers explored the world and staked their claims, including in Africa. Beginning in the late 1800s, with the so-called Scramble for Africa, colonization...