The people and cultures of the 54 African countries that exist today have rich histories. Part of their history has been impacted by colonialism: as European powers became aware of the continent and began exploring in the 15th century, and especially after the Scramble for Africa of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they claimed territory in Africa for themselves. All but a few of modern Africa’s countries were then subjected to decades of colonial rule.
In the years after World War II (1939-45), a trend toward decolonization took hold in Africa, spurred by growing nationalistic sentiments among African people as well as European powers lacking the funds and political support (both at home and abroad) necessary to continue claims on their overseas colonies. Beginning in the 1950s, African colonies began achieving independence-in 1960 alone, 17 newly independent countries emerged-and more followed, with most independent by the end of 1980. Later some countries-Eritrea (1993), Namibia (1990), and South Sudan (2011)-achieved independence from other African countries.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a “country” is a territory with its own government, laws etc. So, considering the continent’s colonial past, the oldest African country would be the one that first gained independence. That country is Liberia.
However, there is another African country that was never colonized by Europeans and is much older - Ethiopia, specifically the Ethiopian Empire. The Ethiopian Empire was an independent state that existed from 1270 to 1974, covering modern Ethiopia and Eritrea. It was briefly occupied by Italy from 1935 to 1941. In 1974, a coup overthrew the monarchy. Eritrea split from Ethiopia in 1993.
We can also approach the question by viewing a country as a community of people living in a defined territory - that is, a nation or even a civilization formed over time. In that case, the oldest African country would be Egypt, as its civilization dates back over 5,000 years.
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When speaking about modern African countries, it makes sense to measure their age from the moment of independence. Let’s take that as our main criterion and look at a list of Africa’s oldest countries.
Africa divided into colonies in 1913 with modern borders overlaid. Only Liberia and Ethiopia, shown in grey, were independent.
1. Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Empire dates back to 1270. One could go even further, to the Aksumite Kingdom in the 1st century CE or the Kingdom of D’mt in the 8th century BCE. Both were located in what is now Ethiopia and preceded the current state. Modern Ethiopia is in East Africa and has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country on the continent.
It has a population of around 118 million, making it Africa’s second most populous nation after Nigeria. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee culture, and the oldest skeleton, dating back 4.2 million years, was found here. So was "Lucy," the world’s most famous Australopithecus skeleton.
Date of formation/independence of Ethiopia: 1270 / May 5, 1941
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On May 5, Ethiopia celebrates Patriots' Victory Day, which some refer to as Independence Day. The holiday was established in 1941 to commemorate the expulsion of the Italian fascists who had occupied the country.
Whether the brief occupation of Ethiopia can be disregarded and whether Victory Day should be considered a true national independence holiday are matters of debate. It’s quite possible that Ethiopia should be moved lower in our ranking - perhaps to fourth place. In that case, Liberia would take the top spot.
2. Liberia
Liberia is the first independent African republic. It was founded by Black settlers from the United States and declared its independence in 1847. In other words, Liberia secured its independence even before the “Scramble for Africa.”
Liberia, too, has its complications. Its independence story is controversial: indigenous people enjoyed far less freedom than the country’s name implied. In the early 19th century, many Americans supported the idea of relocating free Black people to Africa to avoid unrest among slaves. This led to the formation of the American Colonization Society, which aimed to resettle free African Americans in Africa. Supporters believed life would be better for them in their "historical homeland." In 1821, land was purchased on the West African coast, and the first settlement was established.
More organizations joined the effort, and more settlements were founded. These eventually united to form Liberia, declaring independence and drafting a constitution. The outcome was far from ideal: the settlers saw themselves as Americans, looked down on indigenous people, denied them civil rights, and were met with resistance.
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Date of Liberia’s independence: July 26, 1847
The Liberian cabinet, 1880s. (Photo: Courtesy of Library of Congress, Washington, DC)
Oppression of indigenous people continued until 1980, followed by a series of civil wars. Only in recent years has the situation begun to stabilize. Today, Liberia is a stable democracy. Notably, in 2006, it became the first African country to elect a female head of state.
3. South Africa
South Africa’s history, like that of most African countries, began with colonization. In the mid-17th century, Dutch traders founded a settlement that became Cape Town, attracting settlers from France, Germany, and more Dutch immigrants. Intermarriage with local populations led to the formation of the Afrikaner community, speaking Afrikaans - a language derived from Dutch dialects. Later, Britain invaded the Cape Colony. The Afrikaners moved north to form independent republics. The British waged and won several wars, expanding their control.
In 1910, they pushed to unite four provinces into the Union of South Africa. This marks the beginning of modern South Africa’s official independence, though it remained under British rule via a Governor-General.
South Africa’s date of independence: May 31, 1910.
South Africa only became a fully independent republic in 1961. By then, apartheid had been in place for over a decade, enforcing racial segregation and denying civil rights to Black citizens. Discrimination persisted until the 1990s, with Nelson Mandela and others leading the fight against it.
Today, South Africa is a democratic country with a more socially balanced society. Economically, it is the continent’s most developed nation. Its population is called the "rainbow nation" for its rich cultural and linguistic diversity.
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4. Egypt
It’s difficult to pinpoint when modern Egypt began. The unified kingdom of Upper and Lower Egypt was formed around 3150 BCE. Over the centuries, Egypt became part of various empires: Macedonian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab Caliphate, and Ottoman. At one point, Egypt even conquered Sudan.
Modern Egypt likely began forming in the early 19th century when a local Ottoman governor rebelled and started modernizing the country along European lines. Before Egypt could fully break free from the Ottoman Empire, it came under British control. It remained a British protectorate from 1882 to 1952. However, the Kingdom of Egypt was formally declared independent in 1922 - a date most sources consider the beginning of modern Egypt.
Egypt’s date of independence: February 28, 1922.
A military coup in July 1952 is now celebrated as Revolution Day, equivalent to Independence Day. Egypt officially became a republic in 1953, which arguably marks the real beginning of the modern state.
Today, Egypt is the most populous Arab country and Africa’s second-largest economy after South Africa. It is known for its ancient monuments and Red Sea resorts, and is considered one of the continent’s safest countries.
5. Libya
Libya is Egypt’s neighbor in North Africa. Their histories share many similarities - ancient roots, foreign invasions, and eventual independence through military coups. In ancient times, the territory of modern Libya was inhabited by Berber tribes. Over the centuries, it was conquered by various powers: Phoenician Carthage, the Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Vandals, and eventually the Arabs. For a long period, Libya was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the 20th century, from 1911 to 1943, it was a colony of Italy.
After the defeat of fascist Italy in World War II, Libya was administered jointly by Britain and France. It wasn’t until 1951, under pressure from the United Nations, that Libya was declared an independent country.
Libya’s date of independence: December 24, 1951
The colonial Piazza Italia (1930s-50s) on the harbor in downtown Tripoli during the Italian Libya era, circa 1945-55. (Photo: Courtesy of alimohamedzaid.jeeran.com)
Today, Libya is politically unstable, with two rival governments. The country is still recovering from a civil war and the legacy of Muammar Gaddafi’s 42-year authoritarian rule.
Libya is Africa’s fourth-largest country by land area, but 90% of its territory is uninhabitable desert. Its tourism industry collapsed due to the civil war and has not yet recovered.
The other oldest countries in Africa
The mid-20th century was a period of sweeping change, during which nearly all other African countries gained independence. In some years, multiple countries broke free of colonial rule at once. In 1956, Sudan, Morocco, and Tunisia gained independence. In 1957 - Ghana, and in 1958 - Guinea.
The year 1960 marked independence for a large number of countries: Cameroon, Senegal, Togo, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Mali, Nigeria, and Mauritania. In 1961, Sierra Leone became independent. That same year, 1961, Tanganyika gained independence from the United Kingdom. It later united with Zanzibar to form modern-day Tanzania. The United Republic was officially established on April 26, 1964.
In 1962, Burundi, Rwanda, Algeria, and Uganda became independent. The year 1963 brought independence to Kenya, and 1964 - to Malawi and Zambia. The Gambia became an independent country in 1965. Botswana and Lesotho followed in 1966.
The year 1968 was marked by the independence of several nations: Mauritius, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), and Equatorial Guinea. Guinea-Bissau’s path to full independence took longer; it achieved complete sovereignty only in 1974.
1975 marked the end of the colonial era for several nations: Mozambique, the island state of Cape Verde, the Comoros, the island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe, and Angola. In 1976, the Seychelles Islands gained independence. Djibouti was granted independence in 1977.
Zimbabwe’s journey to independence spanned a decade and a half. The country, then known as Southern Rhodesia, declared independence as early as 1965, but it was not officially recognized until 1980.
Among the last African nations to gain independence was Namibia, which South Africa had long resisted letting go. Namibia finally achieved independence in 1990.
In 1993, as mentioned earlier, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia.
The most recent African country to gain independence is South Sudan. In 2011, it seceded from Sudan, becoming the world’s youngest internationally recognized country.
This list of African countries ordered by their date of independence is not absolute. A closer look at the histories of individual nations reveals that many official dates are somewhat symbolic, meaning countries could reasonably be moved around in the list.
There are also unrecognized states, disputed territories, and blurred borders. For instance, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, also known as Western Sahara, declared independence in 1976 but remains only partially recognized to this day. Most of its territory is currently controlled by Morocco.
| Country | Date of Formation or Independence | Previous Administrator |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | July 5, 1962 | France |
| Angola | November 11, 1975 | Portugal |
| Benin | August 1, 1960 | France |
| Botswana | September 30, 1966 | Great Britain |
| Burkina Faso | August 5, 1960 | France |
| Burundi | July 1, 1962 | Belgium |
| Cameroon | January 1, 1960 | France |
| Cabo Verde | July 5, 1975 | Portugal |
| Central African Republic | August 13, 1960 | France |
| Chad | August 11, 1960 | France |
| Comoros | July 6, 1975 | France |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | June 30, 1960 | Belgium |
| Congo, Republic of the | August 15, 1960 | France |
| Côte d’Ivoire | August 7, 1960 | France |
| Djibouti | June 27, 1977 | France |
| Egypt | February 28, 1922 | Great Britain |
| Equatorial Guinea | October 12, 1968 | Spain |
| Eritrea | May 24, 1993 | Ethiopia |
| Eswatini | September 6, 1968 | Great Britain |
| Ethiopia | May 5, 1941 | Italy |
| Gabon | August 17, 1960 | France |
| Gambia, The | February 18, 1965 | Great Britain |
| Ghana | March 6, 1957 | Great Britain |
| Guinea | October 2, 1958 | France |
| Guinea-Bissau | September 10, 1974 | Portugal |
| Kenya | December 12, 1963 | Great Britain |
| Lesotho | October 4, 1966 | Great Britain |
| Liberia | July 26, 1847 | American Colonization Society |
| Libya | December 24, 1951 | France and Great Britain |
| Madagascar | June 26, 1960 | France |
| Malawi | July 6, 1964 | Great Britain |
| Mali | September 22, 1960 | France |
| Mauritania | November 28, 1960 | France |
| Mauritius | March 12, 1968 | Great Britain |
| Morocco | March 2, 1956 | France |
| Mozambique | June 25, 1975 | Portugal |
| Namibia | March 21, 1990 | South Africa |
| Niger | August 3, 1960 | France |
| Nigeria | October 1, 1960 | Great Britain |
| Rwanda | July 1, 1962 | Belgium |
| Sao Tome and Principe | July 12, 1975 | Portugal |
| Senegal | April 4, 1960 | France |
| Seychelles | June 29, 1976 | Great Britain |
| Sierra Leone | April 27, 1961 | Great Britain |
| Somalia | July 1, 1960 | Great Britain and Italy |
| South Africa | May 31, 1910 | Great Britain |
| South Sudan | July 9, 2011 | Sudan |
| Sudan | January 1, 1956 | Egypt and Great Britain |
| Tanzania | December 9, 1961 | Great Britain |
| Togo | April 27, 1960 | France |
| Tunisia | March 20, 1956 | France |
| Uganda | October 9, 1962 | Great Britain |
| Zambia | October 24, 1964 | Great Britain |
| Zimbabwe | April 18, 1980 | Great Britain |
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