| Southern African Independence | |
[Gazetteer Index page]
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Angola Official name: People's Republic of Angola Independence from Portugal: 1975 Forts were established by the Portuguese along the Angolan coast in 1482. The Marxist MPLA, founded in 1956, began its guerrilla based liberation struggle in 1961. Independence from Portugal was achieved in 1975. |
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Botswana Official name: Republic of Botswana Independence from Britain: 1966 From around 1600 the indigenous San peoples were displaced by the migrating Tswana. The Bechuanaland Protectorate was set up by the British in 1885 with the urging of Cecil Rhodes, to protect it from incursions by the Boers and the Germans. Independence from the British was achieved in 1966. |
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Comoros Official name: Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros Independence from France: 1975 (except for the island of Mayotte) Under Arab control until it became a French Protectorate in 1880. Proclaimed as a French colony in 1912. Achieved self-government in 1961 and independence in 1975. |
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Lesotho Official name: Kingdom of Lesotho Independence from Britain: 1966 After defeat by the Boers in 1843, King Moshoeshoe I looked to the British for aid. In 1884 a British Crown colony was formed. Independence was achieved in 1966. |
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Madagascar Official name: Democratic Republic of Madagascar Independence from France: 1960 After increasing contact with Europeans from the 15th century, Madagascar became a French colony in 1895. Following the Second World War there was increasing tension in the country, with civil uprisings resulting in French troops killing thousands. Independence was achieved in 1960. |
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Malawi Official name: Republic of Malawi Independence from Britain: 1964 Livingstone's former "hunting ground" was under threat from the Portuguese and Arab slavers in the late 1880's when the resident Scottish missionaries and the African Lakes Company called on Rhodes for support. The region became the British colony of Nyasaland after aggressive diplomatic conflict with Germany in 1890. In 1964, as part of the program to dilute the power of white racists in Rhodesia, Britain released the colony and it became Malawi. |
Southern Africa: [Angola - Malawi], [Mozambique - Zimbabwe]
[Gazetteer Index page]
