French West Africa
French West Africa was a colony in Sahara and Sahel (North and West Africa) that lasted from 1895 to 1960 CE, about 65 years. Its people spoke Latin and Romance languages (Latin, Italic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian).
Federation of eight French colonies from Senegal to Niger, governed from Dakar. Forced labour built railways and its soldiers, the tirailleurs, fought in both world wars.
See French West Africa on the interactive timeline
Facts
- Dates
- 1895 to 1960 CE
- Duration
- 65 years
- Type
- Colony
- Region
- Sahara and Sahel, North and West Africa
- Language family
- Latin and Romance
- Capital
- Saint-Louis, later Dakar
Became
Events in North and West Africa during its time
- Battle of Adwa
- Algerian War begins
- Suez Crisis
- Ghana wins independence
- Year of Africa
Neighbours in North and West Africa
- Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty)
- Kingdom of Benin
- Alaouite Sultanate of Morocco
- Ashanti Empire
- French Algeria
- Muhammad Ali dynasty (Khedivate)
- Sokoto Caliphate
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Ghana
Elsewhere in the world at the same time
- Ottoman Empire
- Ottoman Empire
- Portuguese Empire
- Kingdom of Kongo
- Qing dynasty
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Haiti
- Russian Empire
- Dutch East Indies
Questions
When did French West Africa exist?
1895 to 1960 CE, about 65 years.
Where was French West Africa?
Sahara and Sahel, in North and West Africa. Its capital was Saint-Louis, later Dakar.
What language did French West Africa speak?
Latin and Romance. This family includes Latin, Italic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian.
What came after French West Africa?
Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania.