Category Civics

           In 1957, Ghana gained independence from its British rulers and became the first country to break free from colonial rule. Its economy has flourished since then. Ghana has become a major African power due to its economic prosperity and democratic political system.

          The first permanent state in modern day Ghana started in the 11th century. A home to many powerful kingdoms and empires, Ghana enjoyed the perks of stability and peace. The Kingdom of Ashanti was the most powerful among Ghana’s rulers. Gold attracted settlers to Ghana, and many countries colonized this area for the same. It was also a hub of the Atlantic slave trade in which many like the Portuguese, Dutch, English and French participated. In the 1900s, Ghana came to be known as the British Gold Coast.

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          Before the 1920s, we did not have a country called Libya. In its place, there were three historical regions- Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan which were ruled by the Ottomans. The Italians later colonized this region and unified them to form a single colony. Thus Libya was born.

         Libya got independence in 1951 under King Iris al-Sanusi. The king was overthrown in 1969 by a military coup and Colonel Gaddafi took charge of the country. He ruled for 42 long years till he was ousted by an armed rebellion in 2011. Gaddafi’s rule shattered the country and it has been divided into competing military and political factions since 2014.

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           Egypt is a land of antiquity. The civilisations and rulers of Egypt were highly regarded around the world.

          The Nile river valley and delta were the home of the world’s earliest urban and literate societies. The Pharaohs ruled Egypt for almost three thousand years through a series of native dynasties. They also had brief periods of foreign rule in between.

         Europeans entered the scene in the later half of the 18th century. The British invaded and occupied Egypt in 1882, as they wanted control over the Suez Canal. The canal linked the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and was an important part of sea routes. The country gained independence and took back the Canal in the 1950s.

         Hosni Mobarek was Egypt’s long-time president who was overthrown by a popular uprising in 2011. Though the country has had many democratic elections since then, the role of the military in the government remains strong.

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          Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980 and since then, veteran President Robert Mugabe dominated its political landscape for almost four decades.

          Mugabe is a controversial figure. He was praised for his role in the freedom of his country, but his government was accused of dictatorship and economic mismanagement. He was ousted by a coup in 2017 and Emerson Mnangagwa became the new president.

          The British ruled Zimbabwe for almost a hundred years before its independence. It started in the 1880s when Cecil Rhode established the British South Africa Company in Zimbabwe. According to archeological records, human settlements were present in Zimbabwe at least 100,000 years before British rule. The country was ruled by several kingdoms like the Kingdom of Mapungubwe and Kingdom of Mutapa.

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          Mozambique’s wealth lies in its natural resources. Unfortunately, it is still one of the poorest nations because of underdevelopment.

         Long ago, Mozambique was a Portuguese colony. For five hundred years, Portugal got minerals and agricultural products from the country. After years of exploitation, a guerrilla army called Frelimo fought for independence following which Mozambique was declared as a free country in 1975.

         After independence, Mozambique was torn apart by internal conflicts. Violence, disunity and natural calamities like drought weakened its economy.

         The conflict formally ended in 1992 and it has remained a fairly stable presidential republic after its first multiparty election.

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         Ethiopia was never colonized by anyone. In fact, it is the only African country which was never colonized. Italy occupied it twice, but they couldn’t establish themselves as rulers.

         Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country and the second most populated nation in Africa. It is one of the world’s oldest countries.

         Legends say that Manelik, the son of King Solomon ruled this place. Different emperors rued the country since then, even when the rest of Africa was controlled by other countries, the last emperor being Haile Selassie. He was overthrown in 1974 by a Soviet-backed military government.

         The 70s was a turbulent time for Ethiopia. The government was corrupt, living conditions miserable and strikes and mutinies regular.

         This was worsened by a severe drought and the inflow of refugees from Sudan. All these slowed down its economy.

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