First Countries to Gain Independence in Africa.

First Countries to Gain Independence in Africa forestalls the idea of you claiming ignorance of the decolonization history of Africa and its many sovereignties. The African history is replete with the stains of colonization. Even as it appears unforgettable, no serious African should ever try to dump this epochal event of history into the abyss of forgetfulness.

In the spirit of the need to celebrate the independence of the African states, this article brings to our knowledge the first countries to gain independence in Africa, and by independence, we mean the autonomy that comes with decolonization.

First Countries to Gain Independence in Africa.

The “Scramble for Africa” between 1870 and 1914 was significant period of European imperialism in Africa that ended with almost all of Africa, and its natural resources, being controlled as colonies by a small number of European states. Racing to secure as much land as possible while avoiding conflict amongst themselves, the partition of Africa was confirmed in the Berlin Agreement of 1885, with little regard to local differences.

Following World War II, rapid decolonization swept across the continent of Africa as many territories gained their independence from European colonization. Consumed with post-war debt, European powers were no longer able to afford the resources needed to maintain control of their African colonies. This allowed for African nationalists to negotiate decolonization very quickly and with minimal casualties. Some territories, however, saw great death tolls as a result of their fight for independence.

Given below are the First Countries to Gain Independence in Africa and their dates:

(By first countries, the focus is on dates from 1847 to 1960)

• Liberia – July 26, 1847

• South Africa – May 31, 1910

• Arab Republic of Egypt – Feb. 28, 1922 

• People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia – May 5, 1941

• Libya – Dec. 24, 1951

• Sudan – Jan. 1, 1956

• Morocco – March 2, 1956

• Tunisia – March 20, 1956

• Morocco (Spanish Northern Zone, Marruecos) – April 7, 1956

• Morocco (International Zone, Tangiers) – Oct. 29, 1956

•  Republic of Ghana – March 6, 1957

• Morocco (Spanish Southern Zone, Marruecos) – April 27, 1958

• Republic of Guinea – Oct. 2, 1958

• Cameroon – Jan. 1 1960

• Senegal – April 4, 1960

• Togo – April 27, 1960

• Mali – Sept. 22, 1960

• Madagascar – June 26, 1960

• Congo – June 30, 1960

• Somalia – July 1, 1960

• Benin – Aug. 1, 1960

• Niger – Aug. 3, 1960

• Burkina Faso – Aug. 5, 1960

• Cote D’Ivoire – Aug. 7, 1960

• Chad – Aug. 11, 1960

• Central Africa Republic – Aug. 13, 1960

• Congo (Brazzaville) – Aug. 15, 1960

• Gabon – Aug. 16, 1960

• Nigeria – Oct. 1, 1960

• Mauritania – Nov. 28, 1960