Mali Federation
| Mali Federation | ||||||||||||||
| Fédération du Mali | ||||||||||||||
| Territory of France (1959-1960) | ||||||||||||||
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Anthem National Anthem of The Mali Federation |
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| Capital | Dakar | |||||||||||||
| Languages | French | |||||||||||||
| Government | Republic | |||||||||||||
| Premier | ||||||||||||||
| • | 1959–1960 | Modibo Keïta | ||||||||||||
| Historical era | Decolonization of Africa | |||||||||||||
| • | Established | 4 April 1959 | ||||||||||||
| • | Independence | 20 June 1960 | ||||||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 20 August 1960 | ||||||||||||
| Area | ||||||||||||||
| • | 1960 | 1,401,282 km² (541,038 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Population | ||||||||||||||
| • | 1960 est. | 6,480,000 | ||||||||||||
| Density | 4.6 /km² (12 /sq mi) | |||||||||||||
| Currency | CFA franc | |||||||||||||
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| Today part of |
 Mali Senegal
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The Mali Federation (French: Fédération du Mali) was a Federation in West Africa linking the French colonies of Senegal and the Sudanese Republic (or French Sudan) for a period of only two months in 1960. It was founded on 4 April 1959 as a territory with self-rule within the French Community and became independent after negotiations with France on 20 June 1960. Two months later, on 19 August 1960, the Sudanese Republic leaders in the Mali Federation mobilized the army and Senegal leaders in the federation retaliated by mobilizing the gendarmerie (national police) which resulted in a tense stand-off and the withdrawal from the federation by Senegal the next day. The Sudanese Republic officials resisted this dissolution, cut off diplomatic relations with Senegal, and defiantly changed the name of their country to Mali. For the brief existence of the Mali Federation, the Premier was Modibo Keïta, who would become the first President of the Republic of Mali after the Mali Federation dissolved, and its government was based in Dakar, Senegal.
After World War II, the colonies of French West Africa began pushing significantly for increased self-determination and to redefine their colonial relationships with France. Following the May 1958 crisis, the colonies of French West Africa were given the chance to vote for immediate independence or to join a reorganized French Community (an arrangement which would grant the colonies some self-determination while maintaining ties to France). Only Guinea voted for full independence and the other colonies of French West Africa voted to join the French Community.
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Wikipedia