French West Africa

French West Africa, former French colonial administrative unit that occupied most of West Africa during the first half of the 20th century. It was one of the largest colonial possessions in Africa. French West Africa is now divided into eight independent countries: Senegal, Guinea (formerly French Guinea), Côte d’Ivoire, Benin (formerly Dahomey), Mauritania, Mali (formerly French Sudan), Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), and Niger.

The West African coast was first visited by Europeans in the 15th century, when Portuguese mariners arrived there. There was little settlement by Europeans until the 17th century, when the French established trading posts at the mouth of the Sénégal River. Between 1854 and 1865 the French journeyed up the Sénégal River and into the interior of present-day Senegal and southern Mauritania. The French captured most of the territory that became the colony of Senegal from the local states of the Wolof and Serer peoples and from the Tukolor Empire, which controlled much of the upper Niger River in present-day Mali. Also in the 1860s, France began to establish trade and military posts on the coasts of Dahomey, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire. The French pursued trade and diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Dahomey, and in 1883 they succeeded in establishing a protectorate over Porto-Novo, adjoining Dahomey.

After 1876 the French pushed eastward from the Sénégal River toward the Nile River in an attempt to extend their rule across the African continent. They succeeded in gaining control over the upper Niger River and destroying the Tukolor Empire. However, the British prevented the French from reaching the Nile, so the French concentrated on developing West Africa. In the early 1890s France formally established Côte d’Ivoire and French Guinea as colonies, conquered the Kingdom of Dahomey, and gained territory north of Dahomey in Upper Volta. By the end of the 19th century the French had established control over most of West Africa, from Algeria in the north to the Gulf of Guinea in the south.

In 1895 the French possessions in West Africa were organized into the administrative unit of French West Africa. At first, this unit consisted of the coastal colonies of Senegal, French Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire, along with the large interior territory known as French Sudan, which corresponded to the present-day countries of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta). In 1899 Dahomey was attached to French West Africa. In 1904 French Sudan became the colony of Haut Sénégal-Niger within French West Africa, and by 1905 Mauritania became a French protectorate closely tied to French West Africa. (A protectorate differs from a colony in that a protectorate retains its nominal sovereignty, while a colony does not.) In 1919 the colony of Upper Volta was separated from Haut Sénégal-Niger, and in 1920 the remaining colony of Haut Sénégal-Niger again became known as French Sudan. The same year, Mauritania officially became a colony and part of French West Africa. In 1922 the separate colony of Niger was carved from French Sudan.

During World War II (1939-1945), French West Africa was initially loyal to the German-dominated Vichy government of France. But in 1942, after the United States invasion of North Africa and the occupation of Dakar, Senegal, by Allied forces, French West Africa became Free French territory under French general Charles de Gaulle. After World War II the colonies of French West Africa were made overseas territories, meaning that their inhabitants were given French citizenship, the right to form political parties, and representation in the French legislature. In 1958 these territories were given the choice of becoming either completely independent countries or self-governing members of the newly created French Community, consisting of France and its former colonies. The French Community had been designed to provide for cooperation on common issues, such as foreign affairs, defense, and higher education. With the exception of French Guinea, which became the independent nation of Guinea in October 1958, all of the colonies joined the French Community. French West Africa thus ceased to exist as an administrative unit.

After achieving autonomy in 1958, French Sudan, Senegal, Upper Volta, and Dahomey agreed to unite as the Federation of Mali, named after the Mali Empire, an ancient kingdom in West Africa. However, Dahomey and Upper Volta withdrew before the union went into effect in January 1960. In August 1960 Senegal withdrew as well, ending the federation. Between August and November of that year, Dahomey (later Benin), Niger, Upper Volta (later Burkina Faso), Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Mali (formerly French Sudan), and Mauritania all became fully independent nations.