African Independence dates

The mid-20th century marked an unprecedented transformation for the African continent. Decades, and in some cases centuries, of colonial rule gave way to a powerful wave of self-determination, as nation after nation asserted its independence. These pivotal moments, enshrined in specific dates, represent not just the end of foreign domination but the birth of modern African states and the beginning of their complex journeys towards nation-building and self-governance.

While the vast majority of African nations gained independence in the post-World War II era, a few exceptions stand out. Liberia, founded by freed American slaves, declared its independence as early as July 26, 1847, making it the oldest republic in Africa. Ethiopia, uniquely, maintained its sovereignty throughout the scramble for Africa, except for a brief Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941, regaining its full independence in 1941. Egypt secured nominal independence from Britain on February 28, 1922, though British influence persisted for several decades. South Africa became a self-governing dominion of the British Empire on May 31, 1910, though true independence for the majority Black population would only come much later with the end of apartheid.

The aftermath of World War II significantly weakened European colonial powers, while simultaneously strengthening nationalist movements across Africa. The global shift towards decolonisation, combined with the rise of the United Nations and the Cold War dynamics, created fertile ground for independence struggles. The first sub-Saharan African nation to achieve independence in this new wave was Sudan, on January 1, 1956. This was quickly followed by two North African nations: Morocco on March 2, 1956, and Tunisia on March 20, 1956.

A monumental moment arrived on March 6, 1957, when the Gold Coast became Ghana, under the charismatic leadership of Kwame Nkrumah. Ghana's independence served as a powerful inspiration for other African nations, demonstrating that self-rule was not only possible but imminent.

The year 1960 stands as the most significant milestone in Africa's decolonisation history, often referred to as "The Year of Africa." In this single year, an astonishing seventeen African nations gained their independence, fundamentally reshaping the political map of the continent. The wave began on January 1, 1960, with Cameroon. It continued rapidly through the year and reflected a combination of factors, including the strategic withdrawal of France from its vast West and Central African territories and the growing momentum of pan-Africanism.

The Continuing Ripple Effect: The 1960s and 1970s

The momentum of self-rule continued well into the 1960s. British colonies followed suit: Sierra Leone (April 27, 1961), Tanganyika (December 9, 1961 – later merging with Zanzibar to form Tanzania in 1964), Uganda (October 9, 1962), Kenya (December 12, 1963), Malawi (July 6, 1964), Zambia (October 24, 1964), and The Gambia (February 18, 1965). Other nations gaining independence during this period included Algeria (July 5, 1962), after a brutal and protracted war against France; Rwanda (July 1, 1962) and Burundi (July 1, 1962) from Belgian rule; and the former British protectorates of Botswana (September 30, 1966) and Lesotho (October 4, 1966). The island nations of Mauritius (March 12, 1968) and Eswatini (September 6, 1968) – then Swaziland – also gained their freedom.

The mid-1970s saw another significant wave, driven by the Carnation Revolution in Portugal in 1974, which led to the decolonisation of its African territories. Guinea-Bissau had declared unilateral independence on September 24, 1973, which was recognised by Portugal in 1974. This was followed by Cape Verde (July 5, 1975), São Tomé and Príncipe (July 12, 1975), Mozambique (June 25, 1975), and Angola (November 11, 1975). The struggle for independence for some nations was prolonged by settler resistance or unique internal circumstances. Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) gained its independence on April 18, 1980, after a protracted armed struggle against white minority rule. Namibia achieved independence on March 21, 1990, after decades of South African occupation and a UN-supervised transition.

The most symbolically significant "independence" for the continent came on April 27, 1994, when South Africa held its first democratic, non-racial elections, marking the official end of the apartheid regime and achieving true self-determination for its majority population. Other notable later independencies include Eritrea from Ethiopia on May 24, 1993, and the most recent, South Sudan, on July 9, 2011, following a referendum for secession from Sudan.

The African independence dates are more than mere entries in a calendar; they are indelible markers of courage, sacrifice, and the unwavering human desire for freedom. While the post-independence era presented its own complex challenges – including nation-building, economic development, and political stability – these dates symbolise the continent's successful reclamation of its destiny. They represent the moment Africa stepped onto the global stage as a collection of sovereign nations, charting its own course in the modern world.

This is a list of African countries by independence dates, detailing when independence was achieved and from who. The graphic (above) shows most countries gained their independence in the 1960s. For full detailed information about the circumstances of each country's independence, download the file below.

Country	Independence Dates	From
Algeria	5th July 1962	France
Angola	11th November 1975	Portugal
Benin	1st August 1960	France
Botswana	30th September 1966	Great Britain
Burkina Faso	5th August 1960	France
Burundi	1st July 1962	Belgium
Cameroon	1st January 1960 1st October 1961	France Great Britain
Cape Verde	5th July 1975	Portugal
Central African Republic	13th August 1960	France
Chad	11th August 1960	France
Comoros	6th July 1975	France
Congo, Dem Republic	30th June 1960	Belgium
Congo, Republic	15th August 1960	France
Côte d'Ivoire	7th August 1960	France
Djibouti	27th June 1977	France
Egypt	28th February 1922	Great Britain
Equatorial Guinea	12th October 1968	Spain
Eritrea	November 1941 24th May 1993	Italy Ethiopia
Ethiopia	Never a European Colony
Gabon	17th August 1960	France
Gambia	18th February 1965	Great Britain
Ghana	6th March 1957	Great Britain
Guinea	2nd October 1958	France
Guinea-Bissau	24th September 1973	Portugal
Kenya	12th December 1963	Great Britain
Lesotho	4th October 1966	Great Britain
Liberia	Never a European Colony
Libya	10th February 1947 24th December 1951	Portugal UK/French Mandate
Madagascar	26th June 1960	France
Malawi	6th July 1964	Great Britain
Mali	4th April 1960	France
Mauritania	28th November 1960	France
Mauritius	12th March 1968	Great Britain
Morocco	2nd March 1956 7th April 1956	France Spain
Mozambique	25th June 1975	Portugal
Namibia	21st March 1990	South Africa
Niger	3rd August 1960	France
Nigeria	1st October 1960	Great Britain
Rwanda	1st July 1962	Belgium
Sao Tome and Principe	12th July 1975	Portugal
Senegal	4th April 1960	France
Seychelles	29th June 1976	Great Britain
Sierra Leone	27th April 1961	Great Britain
Somalia	1st July 1960	Italy Great Britain
South Africa	31st May 1910	Great Britain
Sudan	1st January 1956	Great Britain Egypt
Swaziland	6th September 1968	Great Britain
Tanzania Tanganyika Zanzibar	9th December 1961 10th December 1963 Merger 26th April 1964	Great Britain
Togo	27th April 1960	France
Tunisia	20th March 1956	France
Western Sahara	14th November 1975	Spain
Uganda	9th October 1962	Great Britain
Zambia	24th October 1964	Great Britain
Zimbabwe	11th Nov 1965/18th April 1980	Declared/Recognised by UK

Colonisation of Africa

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Colonial Map of Africa

This colonial map of Africa shows European intervention across the continent superimposed on a map of Africa today.

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African Independence dates

List of African Countries Independence Dates