The world has continued to mourn the death of the longest-serving monarch in modern history, Queen Elizabeth II. Her legacy in the emancipation of nations worldwide cannot be overemphasized. In her reign as the sovereign ruler of the United Kingdom, the queen handed sovereignty to ten African countries across the continent’s subregions.
This piece includes a list of African countries and the year they earned their independence as sovereign nations.
The Gambia
The Gambian is one of the prominent West African nations whose antecedents to sovereignty cannot be overlooked in history books.
According to the World Bank Development indicator in 2020, The Gambia has a population of 2.417 million. The West African nation was also part of the British colony before it gained independence on 18 February 1965. Its capital is in Banjul and its first president was Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
Ghana
Ghana, formerly the Gold Coast, is a West African country that was also a British colony. The country is blessed with many natural resources, especially gold. It has a population of over 31.07 million people and shares a border with anglophone nations like the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of Togo. On 6 March 1957, Ghana gained its independence, and on 1 July 1960, it became a republic, with its first leader being Kwame Nkrumah.
Kenya
Kenya is an East African nation with over 54 million people. It has a deep-rooted cultural and traditional history that has existed for centuries. As a British colony, Kenya gained independence as a sovereign state, and on 12 December 1964, the Republic of Kenya was proclaimed, and Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya’s first president. Malawi. Also, in the East African region, like Kenya, the Republic of Malawi is a small country with a population of over 20 million people.
It shares a border with Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. As a British colony, Malawi became independent on 6 July 1964, with Hastings Banda as its first President.
Mauritius
Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island nation with a small population of just over 2 million. Its capital is Port Louis and under the British colony, it got its independence on 12 March 1968 with Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam becoming the first prime minister of an independent Mauritius.
Nigeria
Nigeria became a British colony in the early years but gained independence on 1 October 1960 and became a republic on 1 October 1963. It is the largest economy in Africa, and its seat of power is in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)-Abuja.
Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia, is located in the southern part of Africa. It has a population density of over 15 million people. It was also among the ten African nations under the British colony. Its capital is the city of Harare. On 11 November 1965, a unilateral declaration of independence was signed. In 1970, Zimbabwe became a republic, with Canaan Banana as its first president and Robert Mugabe as the first prime minister.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is a small West African country with a population of less than 10 million. Its capital city is Freetown, and it was also a one-time British colony. On 27 April 1961, Sierra Leone became a sovereign state, and Sir Milton Margai became its first-ever leader.
South Africa
South Africa is another country under the British colony with a population density of over 60 million people. Like Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, it has a deep-rooted cultural and traditional history. Its capitals are Cape Town, Pretoria, and Bloemfontein, respectively, and they serve different purposes. The country’s independent status can be traced back to the early 1990s, but it held its first universal elections in 1994, which saw Nelson Mandela emerge as president.
Uganda
Uganda is an East African nation whose capital is Kampala. Originally a British colony, Uganda gained independence on 9 October 1962, with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and Queen of Uganda.
In October 1963, Uganda became a republic but maintained its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
