Independence and Airline Development

Independence and Airline Development

The table below, reproduced from a 1978 study produced by Douglas Aircraft Corporation titled Trans-Saharan Trunk Air Routes: Vital Link Between Two Continents and updated, illustrates the timeline of independence of African nations and the establishment of national airlines on the continent.
Country Former Name European Colonial Power Date of Independence National Airline Date of Airline’s Founding
Liberia Never colonized n/a Liberian National Airways 1949
Liberia Never colonized n/a Air Liberia 1974
Ethiopia Temporarily occupied 1937-1940 n/a Ethiopian Airlines 1945
South Africa U.K. 1910 South African Airways 1934
Egypt U.K. 1922 Misrair 1949
Libya Italy 1951 Libyan Airlines 1964
Morocco France 1956 Royal Air Maroc 1957
Sudan U.K. / Egypt 1956 Sudan Airways 1946
Tunisia France 1956 Tunisair 1948
Ghana Gold Coast U.K. 1957 Ghana Airways 1958
Guinea France 1958 Air Guinee 1960
Cameroon France Mandate (formerly Germany) 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Cameroon France Mandate (formerly Germany) 1960 Cameroon Airlines 1971
Togo France Mandate (formerly Germany) 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Togo France Mandate (formerly Germany) 1960 Air Togo 1965
Mali France 1960 Air Mali 1960
Senegal France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Senegal France 1960 Air Senegal 1971
Madagascar France 1960 Air Madagascar 1961
Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo/Zaire Belgium 1960 Air Zaire / Air Congo 1961
Somalia Italy 1960 Somali Airlines 1964
Benin Dahomey France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Niger France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Niger France 1960 Air Niger 1966
Burkina Faso  Upper Volta France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Ivory Coast France 1960 Air Ivoire 1956
Ivory Coast France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Chad France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Central African Republic France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Central African Republic France 1960 Air Centrafique 1966
Republic of the Congo Congo France 1960 Air Congo (Brazzaville) 1961
Republic of the Congo Congo France 1960 Lina Congo (renamed) 1965
Gabon France 1960 Compagnie Aerienne Gabonaise 1951
Gabon France 1960 Member of Air Afrique 1961
Gabon France 1960 Air Gabon 1974
Nigeria U.K. 1960 Nigeria Airways 1958
Mauritiana France 1960 (member of AFQ) 1961
Mauritiana France 1960 Air Mauritanie 1962
Sierra Leone U.K. 1961 Sierra Leone Airways 1958
Tanzania Tanganyika U.K. (formerly Germany) 1961 Air Tanzania 1977
Algeria France 1962 Air Algérie 1947
Burundi Belgian Mandate (formerly Germany) 1962 Société de Transports Aériens du Burundi (STAB) 1971
Burundi Belgian Mandate (formerly Germany) 1962 Air Burundi (renamed) 1975
Rwanda Belgian Mandate (formerly Germany) 1962 Air Rwanda 1975
Uganda U.K. 1962 Uganda Airlines 1965
Tanzania Tanganyika  and Zanzibar U.K. 1963 Air Tanzania 1977
Kenya U.K. 1963 Kenya Airways 1977
Malawi U.K. 1964 Air Malawi 1964
Zambia Northern Rhodesia U.K. 1964 Zambia Airways 1964
The Gambia U.K. 1965 Gambia Airways 1964
Botswana Bechuanaland U.K. 1966 Air Botswana 1972
Lesotho Basutoland U.K. 1966 Lesotho Airways (formerly Basutair) 1971 (1967)
Mauritius U.K. 1968 Air Mauritius 1967
Swaziland U.K. 1968 Swazi Air 1974
Equitorial Guinea Rio Muni Spain 1968
Guinea-Bissau Portugal 1974 Transportes Aereos de Guinea 1975
Mozambique Portugal 1975 DETA 1937
Cape Verde Islands Portugal 1975 Transportes Aereos de Cabo Verde-TACV 1958
Comoros Comoro Islands France 1975 Air Comores 1977
Sao Tome and Principe Portugal 1975 Tansportes Aereos de Sao Tome 1949
Angola Portugal 1975 Angola Airlines – TAAG 1938
Seychelles U.K. 1976
Djibouti Somaliland France 1977
Namibia Southwest Africa U.K. Mandate (formerly Germany) 1979 Suidwes Lugdiens (formerly Southwest Air Transport) 1946
 Zimbabwe Rhodesia U.K. 1980 Air Rhodesia 1967
Zimbabwe Rhodesia U.K. 1980 Air Zimbabwe 1980

 

More Information

Items in the exhibit are housed at Northwestern University’s Transportation Library and the Herskovits Library of African Studies. Email transportationlibrary@northwestern.edu or africana@northwestern.edu with questions, or to schedule an appointment.