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The Decolonization of Africa, 1945–1994

Decolonization of Africa timeline and maps

The Decolonization of Africa, 1945–1994 told in 12 chapters on an interactive situation map, with 20 dated maps and 43 battles, turning points and sites of memory, each drawn where it happened. This page is the index: every chapter, map and place as its own page.

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The chapters

Colonial Africa after World War II
CHAPTER 1 · JAN 1945
Suez Crisis and North Africa
CHAPTER 2 · MAR 1956
Nkrumah and Ghana’s independence
CHAPTER 3 · MAR 1957
Algerian War
CHAPTER 4 · MAY 1960
Year of Africa
CHAPTER 5 · JUL 1960
Congo Crisis
CHAPTER 6 · JUL 1962
Africa after independence
CHAPTER 7 · JAN 1967
Portuguese Colonial War
CHAPTER 8 · AUG 1975
Rhodesia, Zimbabwe and Namibia
CHAPTER 9 · APR 1980
Apartheid in South Africa
CHAPTER 10 · MAR 1990
End of apartheid
CHAPTER 11 · APR 1994
Legacy of decolonization in Africa
CHAPTER 12 · JUL 1994

Decolonization of Africa maps by year

1945DEC 1951MAR 1956MAR 1957OCT 19581960DEC 1961JUL 19621963–64NOV 19651966–68JAN 1970SEP 19741975JUN 1977APR 19801985MAR 1990MAY 1993APR 1994

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Battles, events and sites of memory

● All-African Peoples’ Conference● Arusha Declaration◆ Assassination of Amílcar Cabral● Assassination of Chris Hani◆ Assassination of Patrice Lumumba✕ Battle of Algiers✕ Battle of Cuito Cuanavale◆ Biafran airlift◆ Boipatong massacre● Brazzaville Conference● CODESA negotiations◆ Death of Steve Biko● Egyptian revolution● Inauguration of Nelson Mandela● Independence of Algeria● Independence of Angola● Independence of Ghana● Independence of Guinea● Independence of Guinea-Bissau● Independence of Kenya● Independence of Libya● Independence of Mozambique● Independence of Namibia● Independence of Nigeria● Independence of Sudan● Independence of Zimbabwe● Independence of the Congo● Mali Federation✕ Nigerian Civil War✕ Ogaden War● Organisation of African Unity● Overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah◆ Philippeville massacre● Release of Nelson Mandela◆ Rwandan genocide✕ Secession of Katanga◆ Sharpeville massacre● South African general election◆ Soweto uprising✕ Suez Crisis◆ Sétif and Guelma massacre✕ Uganda–Tanzania War◆ Wiriyamu massacre

The places, chapter by chapter →

Study and test

Decolonization of Africa questions and answers Decolonization of Africa quiz The printable study guide IB History notes: The Decolonization of Africa

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