French Equatorial Africa, former French federation in W central Africa. It consisted of four constituent territories: Gabon Gabon (gäbôN`), officially Gabonese Republic, republic (2005 est. pop. 1,389,000), 103,346 sq mi (267,667 sq km), W central Africa.
..... Click the link for more information. , Middle Congo (see Congo, Republic of the Congo, Republic of the, republic (2005 est. pop. 3,039,000), 132,046 sq mi (342,000 sq km), W central Africa. The Congo is bordered on the west by Gabon; on the north by Cameroon and the Central African Republic; on the east and southeast by the Democratic Republic
..... Click the link for more information. ), Chad Chad (chăd, chäd), Fr. Tchad, officially Republic of Chad, republic (2005 est. pop.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Ubangi-Shari (now the Central African Republic Central African Republic, republic (2005 est. pop. 3,800,000), 240,534 sq mi (622,983 sq km), central Africa. The landlocked nation is bordered by Chad (N), Sudan (E), Congo (Kinshasa) and Congo (Brazzaville) (S), and Cameroon (W).
..... Click the link for more information. ). The capital was Brazzaville. The federation was formed in large part through the efforts of Savorgnan de Brazza Brazza, Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de
..... Click the link for more information. , who forged the link between French possessions in the Congo basin and those in W Africa. French Equatorial Africa (originally called French Congo) was officially established in 1910. Until 1920, Chad and Ubangi-Shari were a single territory. The federation was ruled by a governor-general, resident in Brazzaville, who had a deputy in each of the four territories. About 100,000 sq mi (259,000 sq km) were ceded to Germany as a result of the Agadir crisis (1911) but were returned to France by the Treaty of Versailles. During World War II the federation supported the Free French. In the Fourth French Republic, French Equatorial Africa was given representation in the French parliament and in the assembly of the French Union. When the constituent territories voted (1958) to become autonomous republics within the French Community, the federation was dissolved. In 1959 the new republics formed a loose association called the Union of Central African Republics, and in 1960 they became fully independent republics within the French Community.

French Equatorial Africa

formerly French Congo

Former federation of French possessions, western Central Africa. It was in existence from 1910 to 1959; its capital was Brazzaville. With independence in 1960, the former territory of Ubangi-Shari, to which Chad had been attached in 1920, became the Central African Republic and the Republic of Chad; the Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo; and Gabon became the Republic of Gabon.

the former French overseas territories of Chad, Gabon, Middle Congo, and Ubangi-Shari (1910--58)