After Independence: General.

The newly independent African nations faced many problems, particularly those
countries - the great majority - with no recent experience of being a national state.
One awkward problem was that the boundaries of the new states often bore little or
no relation to racial or tribal divisions. The boundaries had mainly come about as a
result of the "scramble” for Africa", and had been drawn after bargaining between
the European powers concerned with little consideration for tribal organisation. When
independence was gained these artificial boundaries were accepted, because there
was no other practicable way of obtaining independence without prolonged
discussion, negotiation and strife. There was some talk of federation in West Africa,
uniting the ex-British and also the ex-French colonies, but it came to nothing.
There were nevertheless many frontier disputes and small wars; but the
"Organisation of African Unity", which was formed in 1963 by representatives of
some 30 of the new states, helped to settle them. The OAU aimed to help towards
independence those which had not yet, at that time, achieved it, and to improve
economic, political and cultural conditions throughout Africa. Its permanent
headquarters was established at Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. The new states also
became members of the United Nations; indeed, African countries number about
30% of the whole.
Another difficult problem facing particularly the East African countries, was the
position of the European and Asian minorities in the new order.
Nearly all the new nations became republics. The few exceptions were the Kingdoms
of Lesotho and Swaziland in the south, and Morocco and Libya in the north, but Libya
became a republic later. And, in the other direction, the Central African Republic later
changed to the Central African Empire.
With little experience of democratic government, there has been an inevitable trend
in many states towards autocratic rule. Military coups and dictatorships have been
frequent, and Communist interference by the Soviet Union in some areas has added
to the problems.
The remaining chapters of this history will give some general information about all
the states (populations and other statistics are estimates in the mid 1970s) and a
brief history of each since independence. They are grouped as follows; and some
notes are here given regarding previous names, to assist in identification
North Africa
Morocco
Algeria
Tunisia
Libya - Tripolitania and Cyrenaica.
The Countries of the Sudan
Mauritania - part of French West Africa. Not to be confused with Roman
Mauretania, which was roughly modern Morocco.
Mali - part of French West Africa. In roughly the same position as ancient Mali
from which it has taken its name.
Niger - part of French West Africa.
Chad - part of French Equatorial Africa. Named after Lake Chad, includes
much of ancient Kanem-Bornu.
Sudan - Nubia, Egyptian or Eastern Sudan.
West Africa.
Liberia
Nigeria - includes ancient Oyo and Benin.
Ghana - Ashanti, Gold Coast. A different land from ancient Ghana, whose
name it has taken.
Sierra Leone
The Gambia - Gambia.
Senegal - part of French West Africa.
Benin - Dahomey, part of French West Africa. A different land from ancient
Benin.
Ivory Coast - part of French West Africa.
Upper Volta - part of French West Africa.
Guinea - French Guinea, part of French West Africa.
Togo - Togoland.
Guinea-Bissau - Portuguese Guinea.
East Africa.
Somalia - British and Italian Somaliland.
Djibouti - French Somaliland, Territory of the Afars and Issas.
Kenya
Uganda - Buganda, Bunyoro and other kingdoms.
Tanzania - Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
Mozambique
Malagasy - Madagascar.
Central Africa.
Central African Empire - Central African Republic, part of French Equatorial
Africa.
Cameroon - Cameroons.
Congo - ancient Kongo, part of French Equatorial Africa. Different from the
'Belgian Congo'.
Gabon - part of French Equatorial Africa.
Equatorial Guinea - Spanish Guinea.
Zaire - Congo Free State, Belgian Congo. (Includes ancient Lunda, Luba,
Kazembe.
Rwanda & Burundi - ancient kingdoms, then part of German East Africa, then
part of the Belgian Congo.
Southern Central Africa
Zambia - Northern Rhodesia. Includes some of Central ancient Monomatapa
Malawi - Ancient Malawi, then Nyasaland.
Angola - parts of ancient Kongo and Ndongo.
Southern Africa
Zimbabwe - ancient Zimbabwe, then Southern Rhodesia, then Rhodesia.
Botswana - Bechuanaland.
Lesotho - Basutoland.
Swaziland.
Namibia - (German) South West Africa.
Note. The Central African Empire has recently (1979) reverted to being the Central
African Republic.
Chapter 18. After Independence: North Africa.
Morocco. Resumed independence in 1956
Population – 16 ½ million. Arab 65%, Berber 35%, foreign population about
100,000.
Density of population - about 90 per square mile.
Religion - Moslem.
Language - Arabic (official), Berber, French, Spanish.
Literacy - 15%.
Exports - Phosphates and other minerals, citrous fruits.
Main towns -
Rabat 435,000. Capital. Seaport.
Casablanca 1,370,000 Port. Economic centre of the country.
Marrakesh 330,000 Tourist centre. Ancient capital.
Fez 320,000 Sacred city. Ancient university. One-time capital
Meknes 300,000 Agricultural centre. One-time capital.
Tangier 185,000 Port and commercial city. Held by Portugal 1471-
1662. Later a centre of the Barbary pirates.
(Ceuta-and Melilla still belong to Spain.)
On Morocco's resumption of independence the Sultan Sidi Mohammed assumed the
title King Muhammad V. On his death in 1961 his son became King Hassan II. A
constitution providing for representative government was adopted by referendum in
1962; but after serious disturbances in 1965 the King suspended parliament. In
1970 he brought in a new constitution; in which he kept considerable powers.
Discontent with the monarchy led to attempted coups by military officers in 1971
and 1972. The King survived, and brought in another constitution, also approved by
referendum.
Morocco has kept aloof from the conflicts in the Middle East, and her economy has
made progress - Morocco is the world's third largest producer of phosphates, and her
tourist industry has increased.
Algeria Became independent (from France) in 1962.
Population - 15 million. Arab/Berber.
Density of population - about 18 per square mile.
Religion - Moslem.
Language - Arabic (official), French, Berber.
Literacy - 15%.
Exports - Oil, natural gas, wine, fruit.
Main towns –
Algiers 1,000,000 Capital. Seaport. Industrial centre.
Oran 400,000 Seaport. Former French naval station.
Constantine 250,000
On attaining independence a leader of the Nationalists, Ben Bella, became President,
but he was deposed by a military coup in 1965. Colonel Boumédienne came to
power, and remained President until his death in 1978. His government maintained a
neutral foreign policy, but Soviet influence increased.
The mass exodus of French colonists after independence weakened Algerian
economy, but the discovery of huge deposits of oil and natural gas helped recovery.
Tunisia. Became independent (from France) in 1956.
Population – 5 ½ million. Arab/Berber.
Density of population - about 90 per square mile.
Religion - Moslem.
Language - Arabic (official), French.
Literacy - 30%.
Exports - Olive oil, mine, phosphates.
Main towns –
Tunis 500,000 Capital. Seaport. Near ruins of Carthage.
Sfax 200,000
Bizerta 100,000 Seaport.
On becoming independent an elected Assembly abolished the monarchy and deposed
the Bey, and Habib Bourguiba, a Nationalist leader, became President of the Tunisian
Republic. He still is. He is immensely popular and has ruled with farsightedness and
moderation - in both internal and foreign affairs, including his attitude towards
Israel. Under his guidance Tunisia has been one of the most stable states in the Arab
world.
Libya. Became independent in 1951.
Population – 2 ½ million. Arab/Berber.
Density of population - about 4 per square mile.
Religion - Moslem.
Language - Arabic (official), Italian, English.
Literacy - 25-30%
Exports - Oil.
Main towns –
Tripoli 400,000. In Tripolitania.
Benghazi 200,000. In Cyrenaica. Joint capitals.
A new capital is being built at Beida, in Cyrenaica.
Like Algeria, Libya contains a high proportion of desert. A sparsely populated country
- with its inhabitants about a third nomadic - Libya was the first ex-colonial African
state to become independent . From 1951 to 1969 it was a monarchy under King
Idris, the Senussi leader. He was then overthrown by a military, coup, and the
Libyan Arab Republic has since then been ruled by a left-wing military regime led by
Colonel Gaddafi. Gaddafi expelled foreigners and aligned Libya with the more militant
Arab countries in the Arab-Israeli confrontation.
The international position of Libya, hitherto of little consequence, has been
transformed by the discovery of vast oil reserves, and Libya h