South West Africa

This article is about the specific polity South West Africa and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics

A former German colony, it was occupied by the Western Allies during World War I and then assigned to South Africa as a League of Nations Mandate. Although the mandate was abolished by the United Nations in 1966, South African control over the territory continued despite its illegality under international law. In 1990, South West Africa was granted independence as the Republic of Namibia with the exception of Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands, which continued to remain under South African rule until 1994.

Establishment

June 1919: After the war, German South West Africa was declared a League of Nations Class C Mandate territory under the Treaty of Versailles, with the Union of South Africa responsible for the administration of the country.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. World War I

Was a global conflict between two coalitions, the Allies (primarily France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States) and the Central Powers (led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). It was mainly caused by the competition of the western countries over domain in Europe and in the rest of the world with their colonial empires. The war ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war also caused the Russian Revolution and the ensuing Russian Civil War.

1.1.Aftermath of World War I

Were a series of treaties and military events that can be considered a direct consequence of World War I.

2. Further events (Unrelated to Any War)

January 1923: Administration of Walvis Bay was transferred to South West Africa under the South West Africa Affairs Act of 1922.

December 1931: The full sovereignty of South Africa was confirmed with the Balfour Declaration 1926 and the Statute of Westminster 1931.

January 1969: Ovamboland was established as a Bantustan in 1969. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1969: Hereroland was established as a Bantustan in 1969. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1971: Kavangoland was established as a Bantustan in 1971. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1973: East Caprivi was established as a Bantustan in 1973. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1977: Namaland was established as a Bantustan in 1977. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1978: Rehoboth was established as a Bantustan in 1978. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1978: Damarland was established as a Bantustan in 1978. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1978: South Africa transferred control of Walvis Bay back to the Cape Province, thereby making it an exclave.

January 1981: Kaokoland was established as a Bantustan in 1981. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1981: Tswanaland was established as a Bantustan in 1981. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

January 1981: Bushmanland was established as a Bantustan in 1981. A Bantustan was a territory designated by the white National Party administration of South Africa for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) as part of its policy of apartheid.

June 1989: Homelands in South West Africa were abolished in May 1989 at the start of the transition to independence.

March 1990: In 1990, South West Africa was granted independence as the Republic of Namibia.