French Equatorial Africa (AEF,
Afrique Équatoriale Française) was the
organization of
French colonial holdings in west and central
Africa, established in
1910 (as the French Congo) by the efforts of
Savorgnan de Brazza[?]. The federation contained four territories -
Gabon, Middle Congo (now the
Republic of the Congo),
Chad, and
Ubangi-Shari[?] (or
Oubangui-Chari[?], now the
Central African Republic; until
1920 Chad and Ubangi-Shari were a single territory). The governor-general was based in
Brazzaville with deputies in each territory.
During World War II the federation supported the Free French Forces and became the centre for their activities in Africa.
During the Fourth Republic[?], the federation was given representation in the French parliament. When the territories voted in the 1958 referendum to become autonomous within the French Community[?], 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.
See alo: French colonial empire
