1960 CE / Sub-Saharan Africa
The Wave of African Independence and the Principle of Self-Determination
Many African countries gained independence from European colonial rule, changing the United Nations' membership; state-building after independence also faced pressures involving borders, resources, and the Cold War.
The story
The year 1960 is often called the Year of Africa. Congo, Nigeria, and several former French colonies became independent in succession, following long periods of organizing, strikes, resistance, and negotiation. Newly independent countries joined the United Nations and helped shift the global agenda toward development, colonialism, and racial inequality. That year, the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, emphasizing self-determination. The paths to independence varied: Congo soon fell into a political and military crisis in which the United Nations intervened, and inherited colonial power structures interacted with Cold War competition. Kinshasa serves as an illustrative location on the map; the wave of independence occurred in many regions across the continent.
Elsewhere in the world
The demands of new African states were linked to the Bandung Conference and non-aligned cooperation, while they also had to contend with U.S.-Soviet competition and continuing colonial economic relationships.
Dates and precision
1960 CE Observation point
A representative year used to observe long-term change, rather than its complete beginning or end.
Representative map location
Representative coordinates · -4.325°, 15.322°
Coordinates locate a representative point for the story. They do not mean the event happened only here and do not represent historical borders.
Bibliography
- United Nations | From Independence to Long-term Stability: United Nations Efforts in Africa
Sources are listed as bibliography titles, without external links. A reference does not mean every sentence or interpretation has been independently verified.