South West Africa information

Territory of South West Africa
*Suidwes-Afrika* (Afrikaans)
*Südwestafrika* (German)
*Zuidwest-Afrika* (Dutch)
Territory of South West Africa Suidwes-Afrika (Afrikaans); Südwestafrika (German); Zuidwest-Afrika (Dutch);
1915–1990
	Flag; (1928–1990) Coat of arms; (1963–1980)
	Motto: Viribus Unitis; (Latin for "With United Forces")
	Anthem: "God Save the King" (1915–52); "God Save the Queen" (1952–57); ; "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika" (1938–90); (English: "The Call of South Africa");
	Location of South West Africa (light green) within South Africa (dark green)
Status	Mandate of South Africa
Capital and largest city	Windhoek
Official languages	English; Afrikaans; German (1984–1990); Dutch (1915–1983);
Common languages	Khoekhoegowab; Oshiwambo; Otjiherero; RuKwangali; Setswana; siLozi;
Demonym(s)	South West African; Namibian
Administrator
• 1915–1920	Sir Edmond Howard Lacam Gorges
• 1985–1990	Louis Pienaar
History
• Occupation	9 July 1915
• Treaty of Versailles	28 June 1919
• Mandate repealed by the UN	27 October 1966
• Territory renamed to Namibia	12 June 1968
• Independence	21 March 1990
Currency	South West African pound (1920–1961); South African rand (1961–1990)
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	German South West Africa
Republic of Namibia
Today part of	Namibia

South West Africa^[b], renamed to Namibia from 12 June 1968 was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990, after which it became modern-day Namibia. It bordered Angola (a Portuguese colony before 1975), Botswana (Bechuanaland before 1966), South Africa, and Zambia (Northern Rhodesia before 1964). During its administration, South Africa applied its own apartheid system in the territory of South West Africa.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

A German colony known as German South West Africa from 1884 to 1915, it was made a League of Nations mandate of the Union of South Africa following Germany's defeat in the First World War. Although the mandate was repealed by the United Nations on 27 October 1966, South African control over the territory continued despite its illegality under international law.^[6] The territory was administered directly by the South African government from 1915 to 1978, when the Turnhalle Constitutional Conference laid the groundwork for semi-autonomous rule. During an interim period between 1978 and 1985, South Africa gradually granted South West Africa a limited form of home rule, culminating in the formation of a Transitional Government of National Unity.

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.

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^ "South Africa Will Play Two Anthems Hereafter". The New York Times. New York. 3 June 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
^ Hasan, Najmul (1975). "Namibia: South— West Africa". Pakistan Horizon. 28 (3): 63–64. ISSN 0030-980X. JSTOR 41393277.
^ Crawford, Neta (2002). Argument and Change in World Politics. Cambridge University Press. p. 336.
^ Hebdon, Geoffrey (2022). Zero Hour: A Countdown to the Collapse of South Africa's Apartheid System. p. 683.
^ Streissguth, Thomas (2008). Namibia in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. p. 29.
^ "The End of Apartheid". Archive: Information released online prior to January 20, 2009. United States Department of State. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009. South Africa had illegally occupied neighboring Namibia at the end of World War II, and since the mid-1970s, Pretoria had used it as a base to fight the communist party in Angola.

[NYT1938-2] "South Africa Will Play Two Anthems Hereafter". The New York Times. New York. 3 June 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 31 October 2018.

[4] Hasan, Najmul (1975). "Namibia: South— West Africa". Pakistan Horizon. 28 (3): 63–64. ISSN 0030-980X. JSTOR 41393277.

[5] Crawford, Neta (2002). Argument and Change in World Politics. Cambridge University Press. p. 336.

[6] Hebdon, Geoffrey (2022). Zero Hour: A Countdown to the Collapse of South Africa's Apartheid System. p. 683.

[7] Streissguth, Thomas (2008). Namibia in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books. p. 29.

[8] "The End of Apartheid". Archive: Information released online prior to January 20, 2009. United States Department of State. 2009. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2009. South Africa had illegally occupied neighboring Namibia at the end of World War II, and since the mid-1970s, Pretoria had used it as a base to fight the communist party in Angola.

South West Africa information

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South West Africa

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South West Africa campaign

Union of South Africa

Bantustan

History of Namibia

SWAPO

Telephone numbers in South Africa

Apartheid

South Africa

South West Africa Territorial Force

South African Border War

Racism in South Africa

List of colonial governors of South West Africa

Provinces of South Africa

African theatre of World War I

Languages of South Africa

Geography of South Africa

Prime Minister of South Africa

South West Africa Company

History of South Africa

German West Africa

South African Army

White South Africans

South African Defence Force

Part of a series on the
History of Namibia

Khoisan people Bantu expansion Orlam migration Dorsland Trek Traditional kingdom (Uukwambi, Uukwaluudhi, Uukwangali) German colonisation Herero and Namaqua genocide South West Africa campaign South African Mandate South African Border War SWAPO
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