French Equatorial Africa (french: link=no, Afrique-Équatoriale française), or the AEF, was the federation of
French colonial possessions in
Equatorial Africa, extending northwards from the
Congo River into the
Sahel
The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...
, and comprising what are today the countries of
Chad
Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
, the
Central African Republic, the
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...
, and
Gabon.
History
Established in 1910, the Federation contained four (later five) colonial possessions:
French Gabon,
French Congo,
Ubangi-Shari and
French Chad. The
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
was based in
Brazzaville
Brazzaville (, kg, Kintamo, Nkuna, Kintambo, Ntamo, Mavula, Tandala, Mfwa, Mfua; Teke: ''M'fa'', ''Mfaa'', ''Mfa'', ''Mfoa''Roman Adrian Cybriwsky, ''Capital Cities around the World: An Encyclopedia of Geography, History, and Culture'', ABC-CLI ...
with deputies in each territory.
In 1911, France ceded parts of the territory to
German Kamerun as a result of the
Agadir Crisis. The territory was returned after Germany's defeat in
World War I, while most of
Cameroon proper became a French
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administ ...
not integrated into the AEF.
French Equatorial Africa, especially the region of Ubangi-Shari had a similar concession system as the
Congo Free State
''(Work and Progress)
, national_anthem = Vers l'avenir
, capital = Vivi Boma
, currency = Congo Free State franc
, religion = Catholicism (''de facto'')
, leader1 = Leopo ...
and similar atrocities were also committed there. Writer André Gide traveled to Ubangi-Shari and was told by inhabitants about atrocities including mutilations, dismemberments, executions, the burning of children, and villagers being forcefully bound to large beams and made to walk until dropping from exhaustion and thirst. The book "Travels to Congo" by Gide, published in 1927 describes the horrors of the concession companies in French Equatorial Africa. The book had an important impact on the anti-colonialist movement in France. The number of victims under the French concession system in Ubangi-Shari and other parts of French Equatorial Africa remains unknown.
Adam Hochschild estimates a population decrease of half in the French Congo and Gabon, similar to his estimate of the population decline in the Congo Free State.
During the late 1920s and early 1930s an anti-colonial movement ''
Société Amicale des Originaires de l'A.E.F. The ''Société Amicale des Originaires de l'Afrique Equatoriale Française'' was a social and political anti-colonial movement in French Equatorial Africa (A.E.F.). The association was founded by André Matswa in Paris 1926. Its followers were kno ...
'' was established by
André Matsoua André Grenard Matswa (17 January 1899 – 13 January 1942) was a Congolese Lari anti-colonial activist born near Manzakala-Kinkala in then Middle Congo, a rare influential figure in Congolese politics before independence in 1960. He inspired a m ...
,
seeking French citizenship for the territory's inhabitants.
During
World War II, the federation rallied to the
Free French Forces under
Félix Éboué
Adolphe Sylvestre Félix Éboué (; 26 December 1884 – 17 May 1944) was a French Guiana, French French colonial empires, colonial administrator and Free French Forces, Free French leader. He was the first black French man appointed to a hig ...
in August 1940, except for
Gabon which was
Vichy French until 12 November 1940, when the Vichy administration surrendered to
invading Free French; the federation became the strategic centre of Free French activities in Africa.
Under the
Fourth Republic (1946–58), the federation was represented in the
French parliament. When the territories voted in the
September 1958 referendum to become autonomous within the
French Community
The French Community (1958–1960; french: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which ...
, the federation was dissolved. In 1959 the new republics formed an interim association called the Union of Central African Republics, before becoming fully independent in August 1960.
Administration
French Equatorial Africa began with the concept of association, which was implemented through treaties promising French protection by the Italian-French explorer
Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza during the mid-1800s, who convinced indigenous communities to cooperate with the French in exchange for greater trade opportunities. This association eventually led to French indirect rule in the region.
[Colonial Policies and Practices. (2008). In J. Middleton & J. C. Miller (Eds.), ''New Encyclopedia of Africa'' (2nd ed., Vol. 1, pp. 431-465). Charles Scribner's Sons. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3049000148/GVRL?u=depaul&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=08b8cc22] However, France's attempts at indirect rule faced consistent resistance from local leaders.
[T. Benjamin (Ed.), ''Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450'' (Vol. 3, pp. 963-966).]
The AEF was perceived by France as an unstable colony. Therefore, France granted private companies contracts for the exploitation of natural resources like
ivory and
rubber, rather than sustainable investment. Private companies implemented heavy taxation with little to no pay and cruel treatment towards workers and the local communities.
In 1908 French Equatorial Africa was divided into four colonies in hopes of strengthening French authority within the region. Until 1934, French Equatorial Africa was a federation of French colonies like
French West Africa
French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...
. That year, however, the AEF became a unitary entity, its constituent colonies becoming known as regions, and later became known as territories in 1937. There was a single budget for the unified colony; prior to unification, each member had had its own finances.
As of 1942, the AEF was administered by a governor-general, who had "the supreme direction of all services, both civil and military."
[Naval Intelligence Division, 258.] However, the difference in numbers between administrators and the local populace made it difficult for the French to exercise power outside of their headquarters without voluntary or involuntary indigenous cooperation. Additionally, the governor-general's power was limited in practice by France's centralizing colonial policy. "Most important legislation is enacted in Paris," wrote the authors of the 1942 British naval intelligence handbook for the colony, "whilst the governor-general fills in minor details and penalties."
The governor-general was assisted by a consultative council of administration (''Conseil d'Administration'') composed of important local officials and some members, both African and European, elected indirectly.
All major administration positions were appointed by French government and were not accountable to officials elected by the African people. Additionally, France held complete control over diplomacy, defense, and politics.
Under the unified colony, three of the constituent territories,
Chad
Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
,
Gabon, and
Ubangi-Shari, were administered by a governor, while
Moyen-Congo Moyen-Congo may refer to:
* A former French colony in Africa, known as :
** French Congo (''Congo français'', 1882-1903)
** ''Moyen-Congo'' or ''Middle Congo'' (1903-1960), as part of French Equatorial Africa between 1910 and 1958
** The independen ...
was under the purview of the governor-general. Each had a council of local interests (''Conseil des Interêts Locaux'') similar to the council of administration. Locally, the territories were subdivided into ''départments'' and subdivisions overseen by appointed officials. The only municipalities were the capitals of the territories, which were classified as ''communes mixtes'' as opposed to Senegal's ''communes de plein exercise,'' which had democratically elected councils. Although these municipalities possessed certain powers of local self-government, their mayors and councils---which included African representatives---were appointed.
Geography
Accounting for a little less than an eighth of Africa,
[Sandford, K. S. (1946). The Geology of French Equatorial Africa: Review eview of ''Esquisse Géologique de L’afrique Équatoriale Française. Notice explicative de la carte géologique provisoire de l’A. E. F. au 1/3,500,000'', by P. Legoux & V. Hourcq ''The Geographical Journal'', ''107''(3/4), 144–149. https://doi.org/10.2307/1789759] across modern day
Central African Republic,
Republic of Chad,
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...
,
Republic of Gabon, and most of
Cameroon, the greater part of French Equatorial Africa extended over a
granite plateau, framed by the
Tibesti,
Ouadaï, and
Fertit massifs to the northeast,
Darfur
Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju, ...
to the east and the
Crystal mountains and
Mayombe in the southwest. Two
basins occupied the central and southern parts of the territory: the
basin of Chad, a former inland sea of which
Lake Chad
Lake Chad (french: Lac Tchad) is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Central Africa, which has varied in size over the centuries. According to the ''Global Resource Information Database'' of the United Nations Environment Programme, ...
is a remnant, and the
basin of Congo, traversed by the river of the same name and its main tributaries (
Oubangui River,
Sangha River, and
Alima River). A coastal plain stretched from mainland
Spanish Guinea (now
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...
) to the
Congo River. The highest point in French Equatorial Africa was
Mount Emi Koussi (3,415 meters) in
Tibesti.
Due to the very size of the territory, the
climate varied extremely from one point to another, going from a particularly arid
Saharan climate in the north to a humid
tropical climate in the southern part. The
vegetation was affected by these differences: in the north, the virtual absence of rain made it nearly impossible for vegetation to develop, apart from a few thorny shrubs;
[Gardinier, D. (1958). French Equatorial Africa. ''Current History'', ''34''(198), 105–110. http://www.jstor.org/stable/45309985] in the center lay the domain of the
savannahs, where
millet
Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...
,
peanuts and
cassava were grown; finally to the south were the humid
tropical forests, from which various species such as
ebony and
okoumé
''Aucoumea klaineana'' (angouma, gaboon, or okoumé) is a tree in the family Burseraceae, native to equatorial west Africa in Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, and Río Muni. It is a large hardwood tree growing to tall, rarely larger, with a ...
were taken. In the coastal regions,
vanilla,
cocoa
Cocoa may refer to:
Chocolate
* Chocolate
* ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree
* Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao''
* Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...
and
coffee trees were grown.
French Equatorial Africa was bounded by
British Nigeria,
French West Africa
French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...
,
Italian Libya,
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and the
Belgian Congo. To the west, it bordered the
Atlantic Ocean.
Territories:
*
French Chad
*
Ubangi-Shari
*
French Congo
*
French Gabon
Postage stamps
The
postal administrations of the four territories were separate until 1936, each issuing its own stamps. In that year, stamps of Gabon and Middle Congo were overprinted
AFRIQUE / ÉQUATORIALE / FRANÇAISE. A
definitive series for the colony followed in 1937, featuring local scenes and key French figures in the formation of the colony, with various color and value changes each year through 1940.
The 1937 series was overprinted
AFRIQUE FRANÇAISE / LIBRE or just
LIBRE in 1940 by the Free French, and in 1941 they issued a series depicting a
phoenix rising from the flames.
A new definitive series, featuring local scenery and people, was issued in 1946, and another twenty-odd stamps came out during the 1950s, with the last being the omnibus Human Rights issue on 10 December 1958.
Retrieved 12 August 2018.
/ref>
See also
* List of colonial heads of French Equatorial Africa
* French colonial empire
The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "First French Colonial Empire", that exist ...
* Free French Africa
Free French Africa (french: Afrique française libre, sometimes abbreviated to AFL) was the political entity which collectively represented the colonial territories of French Equatorial Africa and Cameroon under the control of Free France in ...
* French West Africa
French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...
* List of French possessions and colonies
* French colonial flags
* French North Africa
* Economic Community of Central African States
* Central African CFA franc
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
External links
{{Coord, 4.2667, S, 15.2833, E, source:wikidata, display=title
Equatorial Africa
Former colonies in Africa
Equatorial Africa, French
History of Central Africa
French Cameroon
20th century in Chad
Ubangi-Shari
20th century in Gabon
20th century in the Republic of the Congo
France–Gabon relations
Chad–France relations
Central African Republic–France relations
France–Republic of the Congo relations
Cameroon–France relations
States and territories established in 1910
Former countries in Africa
1910 establishments in French Equatorial Africa
1958 disestablishments in French Equatorial Africa