French Guinea (french: Guinée française) was a French colonial possession in

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, M ...

. Its borders, while changed over time, were in 1958 those of the current independent nation of Guinea. French Guinea was established by

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in 1891, within the same borders as its previous colony known as

Rivières du Sud Rivières du Sud (English: ''Southern Rivers'') was a French colonial division in West Africa, roughly corresponding to modern coastal sections of Guinea. While the designation was used from the 18th to 20th century, the administrative division o ...

(1882–1891). Prior to 1882, the coastal portions of French Guinea were part of the French colony of

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

. In 1891, Rivières du Sud was placed under the colonial lieutenant governor at

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from :wo:daqaar, daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar ...

, who had authority over the French coastal regions east to Porto-Novo (modern

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...

). In 1894 Rivières du Sud,

Cote d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre i ...

and Dahomey were separated into 'independent' colonies, with Rivières du Sud being renamed as the Colony of French Guinea. In 1895, French Guinea was made one of several dependent colonies and its Governor became one of several Lieutenant Governors who reported to a Governor-General in Dakar. In 1904, this federation of colonies was formalised as French West Africa. French Guinea, Senegal, Dahomey, Cote d'Ivoire and Upper Senegal and Niger, were each ruled by a lieutenant governor, under the Governor General in Dakar.

Colonial history

Guinea was ruled by France until 1958. It became independent from

in 1958 following its voters' rejection of Charles de Gaulle's Constitution of 1958. At the time French Guinea was the only colony to reject the new constitution. French Guinea became the modern-day country of Guinea, keeping French as its official language.

References

*Jean Suret-Canale. ''French Colonialism in Tropical Africa 1900–1945''. Trans. Pica Press (1971) *Jean Suret-Canale. ''Guinea in the Colonial System, in Essays on African History''. Translated, Hurst (1980) {{coord, 9.5092, N, 13.7122, W, source:wikidata, display=title French West Africa French Guinea Guinea History of Guinea French Guinea States and territories established in 1894 States and territories disestablished in 1958 1894 establishments in French West Africa 1958 disestablishments in French West Africa 19th century in Guinea 20th century in Guinea

Colonial history

See also

References