Union of French Indochina

Indochinese Federation
Fédération indochinoise
Federation of French colonial possessions
1887–1954
Flag Emblem
Anthem "La Marseillaise"
Green: French Indochina Dark grey: Other French possessions Darkest grey: France
Capital		Saigon (1887–1902) Hanoi (1902–45) Saigon (1945–54)
Languages		French (official) Vietnamese Khmer Lao Tây Bồi
Religion		Buddhism Taoism Confucianism Vietnamese folk religion Roman Catholicism
Government		Federation of French colonial possessions
Governor-General		List of Governors-General
Historical era		New Imperialism
•	Established	17 October 1887
•	Addition of Laos	3 October 1893
•	Addition of Kwangchow Wan	5 January 1900
•	Independence of North Vietnam (proclaimed)	2 September 1945
•	Franco-Chinese Agreement	28 February 1946
•	Independence of Laos	22 October 1953
•	Independence of South Vietnam	21 July 1954
Area
•	1935	737,000 km² (284,557 sq mi)
Population
•	1935 est.	21,599,582
Density		29.3 /km²  (75.9 /sq mi)
Currency		French Indochinese piastre
Preceded by Succeeded by French Cochinchina Nguyễn dynasty French Protectorate of Cambodia Kingdom of Luang Phrabang Kingdom of Champasak Rattanakosin Kingdom Qing dynasty North Vietnam State of Vietnam Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–70) Kingdom of Laos Republic of China (1912–49)
Today part of		Cambodia  China  Laos  Vietnam

French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China) (French: Indochine française; Khmer: សហភាពឥណ្ឌូចិន; Vietnamese: Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, pronounced [ɗoŋm zɰəŋ tʰuə̀k fǎp], frequently abbreviated to Đông Pháp; Lao: ຝຣັ່ງແຫຼັມອິນດູຈີນ; Cantonese: 法屬印度支那; faat3 suk6 jan3 dou6 zi1 naa5), officially known as the Indochinese Union (Union indochinoise) after 1887 and the Indochinese Federation (Fédération indochinoise) after 1947, was a grouping of French colonial territories in Southeast Asia.

A grouping of the three Vietnamese regions of Tonkin (north), Annam (centre), and Cochinchina (south) with Cambodia was formed in 1887. Laos was added in 1893 and the leased Chinese territory of Guangzhouwan in 1898. The capital was moved from Saigon (in Cochinchina) to Hanoi (Tonkin) in 1902 and again to Da Lat (Annam) in 1939. In 1945 it was moved back to Hanoi.

After the Fall of France during World War II, the colony was administered by the Vichy government and was under Japanese occupation until March 1945, when the Japanese overthrew the colonial regime. Beginning in May 1941, the Viet Minh, a communist army led by Hồ Chí Minh, began a revolt against the Japanese. In August 1945 they declared Vietnamese independence and extended the war, known as the First Indochina War, against France.