| French Guinea Guinée française (French) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constituent of French West Africa | |||||||||
| 1891–1958 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
 Green: French Guinea Lime:French West Africa Dark gray:Other French possessions Darkest gray:French Republic | |||||||||
| Anthem | |||||||||
| "La Marseillaise" | |||||||||
| Capital | Conakry | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| Governor | |||||||||
• 1891-1900 | Noël Ballay | ||||||||
• 1956-1958 | Jean Ramadier | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1891 | ||||||||
| 2 October 1958 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Guinea | ||||||||
French Guinea (French:Guinée française) was aFrench colonial possession inWest Africa. Its borders, while changed over time, were in 1958 those of the current independent nation ofGuinea.
French Guinea was established byFrance in 1891, within the same borders as its previous colony known asRivières du Sud (1882–1891). Prior to 1882, the coastal portions of French Guinea were part of the French colony ofSenegal.
In 1891, Rivières du Sud was placed under the colonial lieutenant governor atDakar, who had authority over the French coastal regions east toPorto-Novo (modernBenin). In 1894 Rivières du Sud,Côte d'Ivoire andDahomey were separated into 'independent' colonies, with Rivières du Sud being renamed as theColony 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 aGovernor-General in Dakar. In 1904, this federation of colonies was formalised asFrench West Africa. French Guinea, Senegal, Dahomey, Côte d'Ivoire andUpper Senegal and Niger, were each ruled by a lieutenant governor, under the Governor General in Dakar.
Guinea was ruled by France until 1958. It became independent fromFrance in 1958 following its voters' rejection ofCharles de Gaulle'sConstitution of 1958. At the time French Guinea was the only colony to reject the new constitution. French Guinea became the modern-day country ofGuinea, keepingFrench as its official language.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
9°30′33″N13°42′44″W / 9.5092°N 13.7122°W /9.5092; -13.7122
