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UniMaps - The name Game |
Names
of countries vary with time, language, the mood of the people and the powers in
control. Some country's name has remained the same for centuries, while others
seem to enjoy regular change. Mali
for example. In 1903, certain territories (now Senegal, Niger and Mali) of French
West Africa (Afrique Occidentale Française) were grouped together under the
name Senegambia and Niger. This was transformed a year later into Upper Senegal
and Niger. In 1920 it is renamed French Sudan, in 1959 the Sudanese republic,
then for a short time the Mali Federation (with Senegal). Finally in 1960 it becomes
Mali. From 1895 to 1960 it was also part of French West Africa (l'Afrique Occidentale
Française). The
following is a summary of country name changes (with start date) that occured
from the colonial occupation of Africa to the present. Some names and dates overlap.
| | PRESENT | PREVIOUS
(latest first) | | Angola,
1993 | Peoples
Republic of Angola, Portuguese West Africa. | | Benin,
1975 | French
West Africa (part), Dahomey 1899, Benin 1892, Prot Porto Nova 1863.
| | Burundi | German
East Africa 1903 (part), Urundi. | | Botswana,
1964 | Bechuanaland
Protectorate 1895, Stellaland. | | Burkina
Faso, 1984 | Upper
Volta, French West Africa (part). | | Cameroon,
1960 | French
Cameroun 1920, German Cameroons or Kamerun 1885. | | C.A.R.
1966 & 79 | Central
African Empire 1976-79, French Equatorial Africa (part) 1910, Ubangi-Shari 1890.
| | Chad | French
Equatorial Africa (part). | | Congo | Congo
(Brazzaville), French Equatorial Africa (part) 1910, Middle or Moyen Congo.
| | DROC*
1997 | Zaire
1971, Democratic Republic of Congo 1966, Peoples Rep of Congo 1964, Congo (Kinshasa)
1960, Belgian Congo 1908, Congo Free State 1885. | | Côte
d'Ivoire, 1986 | Ivory
Coast 1958, French West Africa (part) 1895, Ivory Coast Protectorate 1889. | | Djibouti,
1977 | Afars
& Issas 1967, French Somaliland 1884, Obock 1862.
| | Equatorial
Guinea | Spanish
Guinea, Fernando Po + Rio Muni. | | Eritrea | Italian
East Africa. | | Ethiopia | Italian
East Africa, Abysinia. | | Gabon,
1958 | French
Equatorial Africa (part) 1910, French Gabon. | | Ghana,
1957 | Gold
Coast 1821, British Colony of Gold Coast 1874. | | Guinea,
1958 | French
West Africa (part) 1895, French Guinea Colony 1893.
| | Guinea-Bissau,
1973 | Portuguese
Guinea 1879. | | Kenya | British
East Africa Protectorate 1895. |
| Lesotho
1966. | Basutoland
1869. | | Libya | Italian
North Africa, Tripolitania + Cyrenicia. | | Madagascar,
1975 | Malagasy
Republic 1958. | | Malawi | Central
African Federation, Nyasaland. | | Mali,
1960 | Mali
Federation.(1959), French West Africa (part) 1895, French Sudan 1890. |
| Mauritania,
1960 | French
West Africa (part) 1904. | | Mozambique | Portuguese
East Africa. | | Namibia
1990 | South
West Africa, German South West Africa 1884. | | Niger | French
West Africa (part). | | Nigeria
1914 | Northern/Southern
Nigeria, British Niger, Lagos Colony 1861. | | Rwanda | Ruanda |
| Senegal,
1960 | Mali
Federation (part)1959, French West Africa (part)1895. | | Somalia | Italian/British
Somaliland | | Union
of South Africa, 1910 | Cape
Colony + Orange Free State + Transvaal + Natal + British Bechuanaland. |
| Sudan | Anglo-Egyptian
Condominium, Equatoria (south only), Nubia (northeast). | | Tanzania,
1964 | Tanganyika
+ Zanzibar, German East Africa 1885. | | Togo | French
Togoland 1922, German Togoland 1888. | | Uganda,
| 1894Uganda
Protectorate 1894, Buganda. | | Western
Sahara | Spanish
Sahara. | | Zambia,
1964 | Northern
Rhodesia 1911, Northern Zambesia 1891, Barotseland. | | Zimbabwe | Rhodesia,
Southern Rhodesia. | | | *
We have checked books, atlases, international press, on the
internet, and DROC seems to be called variously; Democratic Republic of Congo
(it's correct name), Democratic Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, DRC, -amongst
others that we probably missed. To avoid confusion especially with the neighbouring
Republic of Congo, we have called the Democratic Republic of Congo, "Congo
(Zaire)". | |
