





















































See Also
See Again
© Shutterstock
0 / 54 Fotos
Algeria
- Independence Day: July 5, 1962 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Algiers
© Shutterstock
1 / 54 Fotos
Angola
- Independence Day: November 11, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Luanda
© Shutterstock
2 / 54 Fotos
Benin
- Independence Day: August 1, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Porto-Novo
© Shutterstock
3 / 54 Fotos
Botswana
- Independence Day: September 30, 1966 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital City: Gaborone
© Shutterstock
4 / 54 Fotos
Burkina Faso
- Independence Day: August 5, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Ouagadougou
© Shutterstock
5 / 54 Fotos
Burundi
- Independence Day: July 1, 1962 Colonial ruler: Belgium Capital city: Gitega
© Public Domain
6 / 54 Fotos
Cameroon
- Independence Day: January 1, 1960 Colonial ruler: French-administered UN trusteeship Capital city: Yaoundé
© Shutterstock
7 / 54 Fotos
Cape Verde
- Independence Day: July 5, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Praia
© Shutterstock
8 / 54 Fotos
Central African Republic
- Independence Day: August 13, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Bangui
© Shutterstock
9 / 54 Fotos
Chad
- Independence Day: August 11, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: N'Djamena
© Shutterstock
10 / 54 Fotos
Comoros
- Independence Day: July 6, 1975 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Moroni
© Shutterstock
11 / 54 Fotos
Republic of the Congo
- Independence Day: August 15, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Brazzaville
© Shutterstock
12 / 54 Fotos
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Independence Day: June 30, 1960 Colonial ruler: Belgium Capital city: Kinshasa
© Shutterstock
13 / 54 Fotos
Ivory Coast
- Independence Day: August 7, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Abidjan (economic)
© Shutterstock
14 / 54 Fotos
Djibouti
- Independence Day: June 27, 1977 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Djibouti City
© Shutterstock
15 / 54 Fotos
Egypt
- Independence Day: February 28, 1922 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Cairo
© Shutterstock
16 / 54 Fotos
Equatorial Guinea
- Independence Day: October 12, 1968 Colonial ruler: Spain Capital city: Malabo
© Shutterstock
17 / 54 Fotos
Eritrea
- Independence Day: May 24, 1993 Colonial ruler: Ethiopia Capital city: Asmara
© Shutterstock
18 / 54 Fotos
Gabon
- Independence Day: August 17, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Libreville
© Shutterstock
19 / 54 Fotos
Gambia
- Independence Day: February 18, 1965 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Banjul
© Shutterstock
20 / 54 Fotos
Ghana
- Independence Day: March 6, 1957 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Accra
© Shutterstock
21 / 54 Fotos
Guinea
- Independence Day: October 2, 1958 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Conakry
© Shutterstock
22 / 54 Fotos
Guinea Bissau
- Independence Day: September 10, 1974 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Bissau
© Shutterstock
23 / 54 Fotos
Kenya
- Independence Day: December 12, 1963 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Nairobi
© Shutterstock
24 / 54 Fotos
Lesotho
- Independence Day: October 4, 1966 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Maseru
© Shutterstock
25 / 54 Fotos
Libya
- Independence Day: December 24, 1951 Colonial ruler: Italy Capital city: Tripoli
© Shutterstock
26 / 54 Fotos
Madagascar
- Independence Day: June 26, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Antananarivo
© Shutterstock
27 / 54 Fotos
Malawi
- Independence Day: July 6, 1964 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lilongwe
© Shutterstock
28 / 54 Fotos
Mali
- Independence Day: September 22, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Bamako
© Shutterstock
29 / 54 Fotos
Mauritania
- Independence Day: November 28, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Nouakchott
© Shutterstock
30 / 54 Fotos
Mauritius
- Independence Day: March 12, 1968 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Port Louis
© Shutterstock
31 / 54 Fotos
Morocco
- Independence Day: March 2, 1956 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Rabat
© Shutterstock
32 / 54 Fotos
Mozambique
- Independence Day: June 25, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Maputo
© Shutterstock
33 / 54 Fotos
Namibia
- Independence Day: March 21, 1990 Colonial ruler: South African mandate Capital city: Windhoek
© Shutterstock
34 / 54 Fotos
Niger
- Independence Day: August 3, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Niamey
© Shutterstock
35 / 54 Fotos
Nigeria
- Independence Day: October 1, 1960 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lagos
© Shutterstock
36 / 54 Fotos
Rwanda
- Independence Day: July 1, 1962 Colonial ruler: Belgium administered UN trusteeship Capital city: Kigali
© Shutterstock
37 / 54 Fotos
São Tomé and Príncipe
- Independence Day: July 12, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal capital city: São Tomé
© Shutterstock
38 / 54 Fotos
Senegal
- Independence Day: April 4, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Dakar
© Shutterstock
39 / 54 Fotos
Seychelles
- Independence Day: June 29, 1976 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Victoria
© Shutterstock
40 / 54 Fotos
Sierra Leone
- Independence Day: April 27, 1961 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Freetown
© Shutterstock
41 / 54 Fotos
Somalia
- Independence Day: July 1, 1960 Colonial rulers: Britain, Italy Capital city: Mogadishu
© Shutterstock
42 / 54 Fotos
South Africa
- Independence Day: December 11, 1931; April 1994 (end of apartheid) Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Johannesburg
© Shutterstock
43 / 54 Fotos
Sudan
- Independence Day: January 1, 1956 Colonial rulers: Egypt, Britain Capital city: Khartoum
© Shutterstock
44 / 54 Fotos
Swaziland (Eswatini)
- Independence Day: September 6, 1968 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lobamba (legislative)
© Shutterstock
45 / 54 Fotos
Tanzania
- Independence Day: April 26, 1964 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Dodoma
© Shutterstock
46 / 54 Fotos
Togo
- Independence Day: April 27, 1960 Colonial ruler: French administered UN trusteeship Capital city: Lomé
© Shutterstock
47 / 54 Fotos
Tunisia
- Independence Day: March 20, 1956 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Tunis
© Shutterstock
48 / 54 Fotos
Uganda
- Independence Day: October 9, 1962 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Kampala
© Shutterstock
49 / 54 Fotos
Zambia
- Independence Day: October 24, 1964 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lusaka
© Shutterstock
50 / 54 Fotos
Zimbabwe
- Independence Day: April 18, 1980 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Harare
© Shutterstock
51 / 54 Fotos
Liberia
- Declaration of Independence: July 26, 1847 Colonial oversee: American colonization Society (never ruled from overseas) Capital city: Monrovia
© Shutterstock
52 / 54 Fotos
Ethiopia
- Never colonized Capital city: Addis Ababa See also: Defining moments in Black history
© Shutterstock
53 / 54 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 54 Fotos
Algeria
- Independence Day: July 5, 1962 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Algiers
© Shutterstock
1 / 54 Fotos
Angola
- Independence Day: November 11, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Luanda
© Shutterstock
2 / 54 Fotos
Benin
- Independence Day: August 1, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Porto-Novo
© Shutterstock
3 / 54 Fotos
Botswana
- Independence Day: September 30, 1966 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital City: Gaborone
© Shutterstock
4 / 54 Fotos
Burkina Faso
- Independence Day: August 5, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Ouagadougou
© Shutterstock
5 / 54 Fotos
Burundi
- Independence Day: July 1, 1962 Colonial ruler: Belgium Capital city: Gitega
© Public Domain
6 / 54 Fotos
Cameroon
- Independence Day: January 1, 1960 Colonial ruler: French-administered UN trusteeship Capital city: Yaoundé
© Shutterstock
7 / 54 Fotos
Cape Verde
- Independence Day: July 5, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Praia
© Shutterstock
8 / 54 Fotos
Central African Republic
- Independence Day: August 13, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Bangui
© Shutterstock
9 / 54 Fotos
Chad
- Independence Day: August 11, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: N'Djamena
© Shutterstock
10 / 54 Fotos
Comoros
- Independence Day: July 6, 1975 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Moroni
© Shutterstock
11 / 54 Fotos
Republic of the Congo
- Independence Day: August 15, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Brazzaville
© Shutterstock
12 / 54 Fotos
Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Independence Day: June 30, 1960 Colonial ruler: Belgium Capital city: Kinshasa
© Shutterstock
13 / 54 Fotos
Ivory Coast
- Independence Day: August 7, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Abidjan (economic)
© Shutterstock
14 / 54 Fotos
Djibouti
- Independence Day: June 27, 1977 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Djibouti City
© Shutterstock
15 / 54 Fotos
Egypt
- Independence Day: February 28, 1922 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Cairo
© Shutterstock
16 / 54 Fotos
Equatorial Guinea
- Independence Day: October 12, 1968 Colonial ruler: Spain Capital city: Malabo
© Shutterstock
17 / 54 Fotos
Eritrea
- Independence Day: May 24, 1993 Colonial ruler: Ethiopia Capital city: Asmara
© Shutterstock
18 / 54 Fotos
Gabon
- Independence Day: August 17, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Libreville
© Shutterstock
19 / 54 Fotos
Gambia
- Independence Day: February 18, 1965 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Banjul
© Shutterstock
20 / 54 Fotos
Ghana
- Independence Day: March 6, 1957 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Accra
© Shutterstock
21 / 54 Fotos
Guinea
- Independence Day: October 2, 1958 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Conakry
© Shutterstock
22 / 54 Fotos
Guinea Bissau
- Independence Day: September 10, 1974 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Bissau
© Shutterstock
23 / 54 Fotos
Kenya
- Independence Day: December 12, 1963 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Nairobi
© Shutterstock
24 / 54 Fotos
Lesotho
- Independence Day: October 4, 1966 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Maseru
© Shutterstock
25 / 54 Fotos
Libya
- Independence Day: December 24, 1951 Colonial ruler: Italy Capital city: Tripoli
© Shutterstock
26 / 54 Fotos
Madagascar
- Independence Day: June 26, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Antananarivo
© Shutterstock
27 / 54 Fotos
Malawi
- Independence Day: July 6, 1964 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lilongwe
© Shutterstock
28 / 54 Fotos
Mali
- Independence Day: September 22, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Bamako
© Shutterstock
29 / 54 Fotos
Mauritania
- Independence Day: November 28, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Nouakchott
© Shutterstock
30 / 54 Fotos
Mauritius
- Independence Day: March 12, 1968 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Port Louis
© Shutterstock
31 / 54 Fotos
Morocco
- Independence Day: March 2, 1956 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Rabat
© Shutterstock
32 / 54 Fotos
Mozambique
- Independence Day: June 25, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal Capital city: Maputo
© Shutterstock
33 / 54 Fotos
Namibia
- Independence Day: March 21, 1990 Colonial ruler: South African mandate Capital city: Windhoek
© Shutterstock
34 / 54 Fotos
Niger
- Independence Day: August 3, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Niamey
© Shutterstock
35 / 54 Fotos
Nigeria
- Independence Day: October 1, 1960 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lagos
© Shutterstock
36 / 54 Fotos
Rwanda
- Independence Day: July 1, 1962 Colonial ruler: Belgium administered UN trusteeship Capital city: Kigali
© Shutterstock
37 / 54 Fotos
São Tomé and Príncipe
- Independence Day: July 12, 1975 Colonial ruler: Portugal capital city: São Tomé
© Shutterstock
38 / 54 Fotos
Senegal
- Independence Day: April 4, 1960 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Dakar
© Shutterstock
39 / 54 Fotos
Seychelles
- Independence Day: June 29, 1976 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Victoria
© Shutterstock
40 / 54 Fotos
Sierra Leone
- Independence Day: April 27, 1961 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Freetown
© Shutterstock
41 / 54 Fotos
Somalia
- Independence Day: July 1, 1960 Colonial rulers: Britain, Italy Capital city: Mogadishu
© Shutterstock
42 / 54 Fotos
South Africa
- Independence Day: December 11, 1931; April 1994 (end of apartheid) Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Johannesburg
© Shutterstock
43 / 54 Fotos
Sudan
- Independence Day: January 1, 1956 Colonial rulers: Egypt, Britain Capital city: Khartoum
© Shutterstock
44 / 54 Fotos
Swaziland (Eswatini)
- Independence Day: September 6, 1968 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lobamba (legislative)
© Shutterstock
45 / 54 Fotos
Tanzania
- Independence Day: April 26, 1964 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Dodoma
© Shutterstock
46 / 54 Fotos
Togo
- Independence Day: April 27, 1960 Colonial ruler: French administered UN trusteeship Capital city: Lomé
© Shutterstock
47 / 54 Fotos
Tunisia
- Independence Day: March 20, 1956 Colonial ruler: France Capital city: Tunis
© Shutterstock
48 / 54 Fotos
Uganda
- Independence Day: October 9, 1962 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Kampala
© Shutterstock
49 / 54 Fotos
Zambia
- Independence Day: October 24, 1964 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Lusaka
© Shutterstock
50 / 54 Fotos
Zimbabwe
- Independence Day: April 18, 1980 Colonial ruler: Britain Capital city: Harare
© Shutterstock
51 / 54 Fotos
Liberia
- Declaration of Independence: July 26, 1847 Colonial oversee: American colonization Society (never ruled from overseas) Capital city: Monrovia
© Shutterstock
52 / 54 Fotos
Ethiopia
- Never colonized Capital city: Addis Ababa See also: Defining moments in Black history
© Shutterstock
53 / 54 Fotos
Can you guess which is the only African country to have never been colonized?
May 25 is African Liberation Day
© <p>Shutterstock</p>
Colonization is defined as the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area. Nowhere is this more exemplified than by the Scramble for Africa—the invasion, occupation, division, and colonization of African territory by European powers between 1881 and 1914. In this short period known to historians as the New Imperialism, over 90% of the continent fell under formal European control.
The struggle for independence gathered momentum after the Second World War. Over the next 30 years or so, 51 African nations won independence from their colonial rulers. The decolonization of the continent was often hopelessly unorganized and marred with violence and political turmoil, and only in 1980, with Zimbabwe's declaration of independence, was Africa finally freed from the iron grip of colonial imperialism.
Click through the following gallery and take a look at the countries that successfully shook off the shackles of colonialism, and find out when they celebrate their Independence Day.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU




































MOST READ
- Last Hour
- Last Day
- Last Week