Decolonization
From Roses, Tulips, & Liberty
Decolonization is the process by which subjects of colonial powers gain independence. The first major wave of decolonization began in the 19th century with the dismantling of the Spanish Empire and continued throughout to the Silent War era.
Timeline
Africa
Date | Colonizer | New entity | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1855 | The Netherlands | Cape Republic | Declared & won independence from the Dutch. |
1933 | Spain | Morocco | Morocco gained independence after renegotiating its protectorate status with Spain in 1933. |
1938 | France | Kirignaga-Loloue | Declared in 1938 by the Parti Communard de Kirignaga. Merger of the French colonies of Kirignaga and Loloue in East Africa. |
1939 | France | Abyssinia | France forced to recognize the independence of its former east African colonies in the aftermath of the Great War. |
Somalia | |||
1942 | Britain and | Malagasy National Republic | Established in 1942, the Malagasy Nat. Rep. would fight against the British and Portuguese, and their Sackalava and St. Lucian allies until they gain full control of the island in 1949. |
1943 | Britain | Umongo | Also known as the Mongo National Republic. Formerly the British Mongoland Protectorate. |
1945 | Britain | Uruwa | Also known as the Luba National Republic. Formerly the British Lubaland Protectorate. |
1948 | Sweden | Guinean Union | Formerly Swedish Guinea. Gained independence as a federation, at the behest of the Swedish Republican government, following the abolition of the Swedish monarchy. |
1949 | Britain | Natalia | Formerly the Natal Colony. Natalia was given the mandate of the Cislikwa protectorates. |
1953 | Genoa | Genoese Guinea joins Guinean Union | |
1953 | Britain | Congo Federation | A federation consolidating the former colony of British Congo, and the Baboaland and Legaland protectorates. The new state would soon fall under a British-backed dictatorship. |
1953 | Britain | Gambia | Gained independence as a republic. |
1957 | Britain | Algeria | Gained dominionship as separate entities. |
Numidia | |||
1958 | Britain | Equatoria | British dominion. |
1958 | Britain | Sierra Leone | |
1959 | Britain | Dominion of Mandeland | The Colony of Mandeland becomes a self-governing dominion. |
1960 | Britain | East Africa | Formerly British East Africa. |
1961 | Portugal | Kongo | |
1961 | Britain | Republic of Gimbala | |
1961 | Britain | Sultanate of Dar Runga | |
1961 | Portugal | Borgu | Formerly Portuguese Guinea. The colony was split into Borgu and Iorubaland. |
Iorubaland | |||
1962 | Britain | Salvatia | The Colony of Salvatia becomes a self-governing dominion under the influence of the Anglican Salvatian elite. |
1962 | Britain | Soudan (then known as Nubia) | Gained independence as a liberal republic, but soon fell under a Russian-backed dictatorship. |
1964 | Britain | United States of Manden | The Dominion gains full sovereignty as a republic. |
1964 | East Africa | Unyamwezi | Established at the end of the Nyamwezi revolts (1957-1964) that ended in their independence as the Nyamwezi National Republic (or Unyamwezi). |
1964 | Portugal | Urunda | The inland Portuguese Zambezian protectorates gain independence through the Zambezian accords, signed in 1961. |
Columbemba | |||
Maravi | |||
Rozvi | |||
Butua | |||
Barotseland | |||
1956 | Spain | Spanish Guinea joins Iorubaland |
Americas
Date | Colonizer | New entity | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1795 | TheNetherlands | Netherlands | Declared independence in response to Prince William V's orders to hand over sovereignty to Great Britain during the French occupation of the Netherlands |
1793 | France | Kingdom of France in the Americas (New France) | Established as the Bourbon Kingdom of France in exile. Recognized the republic of France in 1883. |
1839 | Spanish Empire | Paraguay | Established as an independent republic in 1839, recognized as independent by Spain in 1846. |
1842 | Spanish Empire | Colombia | Established as an independent republic after the Colombian revolution. |
1845 | Portugal | Bahia Republic | Declared independence in 1836 but recognized by Portugal in 1845. |
1846 | Portugal | Riograndense Republic | Recognized by treaty in 1846. |
1852 | Britain | Virginia | Declared independence from Great Britain during the 2nd Anglo-Virginian war. |
1855 | The Netherlands | South Tussenland | Established during the South Tussenland Revolution amid the 2nd Dutch-Spanish war after a successful slave revolt. |
1861 | The Netherlands | Dominion of Tussenland | Established as a self governing dominion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1861 after the Tussenland upheavals. In 1905 with the writing of a new constitution, declared full independence and cut ties with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. |
1861 | France | Saint-Domingue | Declared independence in 1861, recognized by France in 1862. |
1881 | Spanish Empire | Mexico | Former Viceroy of New Spain, Jorge González de Güemes y Horcasitas declared the Empire of Mexico following a popular coup. |
1914 | Britain | New England | Established as a self-governing commonwealth by the Home Rule in America Act. Severed ties with the crown and Great Britain in 1937. |
1914 | Britain | Carolina | Established as a self-governing commonwealth by the Home Rule in America Act. |
1934 | Spain | Puerto Rico | Gained independence through a referendum, following the Spanish Republican Revolution. |
1948 | Britain | Guiana | Established as a self-governing dominion. |
1949 | Britain | Bahamas, Turks, and Caicos Islands (BTC) | |
1952 | Genoa | Mahe joins Carnatic | |
1956 | Britain | West Indies Union | Martinique and other Francophone islands would later secede and form the Antilles Federation in 1963. |
Asia
Date | Colonizer | New entity | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1935 | Spain | Viet-Nam | Gained independence through referendums in 1935, following the Spanish Republican revolution. |
Philippines | |||
Timor | |||
1938 | Britain | Jambudweep | The Republic of Jambudweep was declared in 1939 in the midst of the Great War. Their war for independence was fought from 1938 until Britain recognized their independence in 1944. |
1938 | Britain | Erawati | Formerly the Konbaung Protectorate (Burma). Declared independence during the Great War with Siamese and nominal Russian support. |
1939 | Britain | Tibet | Declared independence in 1939 in the wake of the weakening British presence in India. |
Nepal | |||
Kamarupa | |||
Bhotan | |||
Sikkim | |||
1939 | France | Kampuchea | France forced to recognize the independence of its former Asian colonies in the aftermath of the Great War. |
1940 | Britain | Balochistan | A Balochi khanate led by the Khan of Kalat. Independence was recognized by Britain on 4 March 1940. |
1944 | Britain | Carnatic |
Europe
Date | Colonizer | New entity | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1925 | Britain | Dominion of Ireland | Established as a self-governing dominion under the British crown. |
1945 | Britain | Iceland |
Oceania
Date | Colonizer | New entity | Description |
---|---|---|---|
1936 | France | Australie | Declared independence during the Great War. Officially recognized by France in the Congress of Amsterdam (1939). |
1948 | Britain | Georgia | Established as a self-governing dominion. |
1959 | Genoa | Niue | Declared independence in 1966 after the economic and political crisis in Genoa (1950s). |
Tonga | Declared independence in 1966 after the economic and political crisis in Genoa (1950s). |