The Decolonization of Africa, 1945–1994 · THE MAP IN JAN 1970

Map of Africa in January 1970

Biafra falls · decolonization

Africa in January 1970: Biafra falls. The map shows who held what: Independent Africa, Independent before 1945, Portuguese, Belgian, Spanish & Italian-ruled.

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Map of Africa in January 1970 (decolonization): Biafra falls. Colours show Independent Africa, Independent before 1945, Portuguese, Belgian, Spanish & Italian-ruled. — JAN 1970 · THE DECOLONIZATION OF AFRICA, 1945–1994

These maps are reconstructed from published sources · US Foreign Relations: Southern Africa, 1969–1976 · Cliopatria v0.2.1: reviewed historical components · UN General Assembly: Eritrea federation, 11 September 1952 · Natural Earth v5.1.2: 1:10m countries · UN Transition Assistance Group: Namibia independence · UN: former Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories

Source details

US Department of State; published diplomatic records. Historical factual evidence; text and images not reproduced
Cliopatria contributors / Seshat Global History Databank. CC BY 4.0 · Explicit record/component selection; documented nearby-date proxies, intersections and unions. Known compound-name and end-date errors excluded.
UN General Assembly resolution 617 (VII). Historical factual evidence; text and images not reproduced
Natural Earth. Public domain · Full source coordinates retained; African extraction; Egypt self-touching ring repaired with negligible area delta; explicit historical unions.
United Nations Peacekeeping. Historical factual evidence; text and images not reproduced
United Nations; territorial successions and independence dates. Historical factual evidence; text and images not reproduced

The maps are reconstructed from published sources. Explicit records provide historical unions and changed colonial units; inherited outer boundaries use the closest reusable reference from the source vintage.

War hatches mark affected administrative reporting regions. They do not trace exact fronts or the extent of controlled territory. Each layer records its source selection and boundary dates.

The eastern-edge Israeli polygons show published control extents, including occupied territory, rather than sovereign claims. The source covering 1976–82 does not resolve each stage of the Sinai withdrawal.

proxy: Country/territory reference; conflict dates follow the chapter · proxy: Natural Earth v5.1.2 contemporary reference · reconstruction: 1945–1994; contemporary source perimeter · reconstruction: 1952–1993; contemporary source perimeter · reconstruction: 1960–1994; contemporary source perimeter · vector: 1936–1986; used through 1985 · vector: 1958–1959 Spanish Sahara extent; reused for the disputed territory after 1975 · vector: 1963–1975 source; nearby-date exterior reference for 1945–1994 · vector: 1967–1972 · vector: 1969–1975; reused after 1975 · vector: 1969–1986; reused as pre-unification geographic proxy

Layer records and reconstruction methods

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