User:Enitalic/French Equatorial Africa

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Administration

French Equatorial Africa began with the concept of association, which was implemented through treaties promising French protection by the French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza during the mid-1800s, who convinced indigenous communities to cooperate with the French in exchange for greater trade opportunities. This association eventually led to French indirect rule in the region.^[1] However, France's attempts at indirect rule faced consistent resistance from local leaders.^[2]

The AEF was perceived by France as an unstable colony. Therefore, France granted private companies contracts for the exploitation of natural resources like ivory and rubber, rather than sustainable investment. Private companies implemented heavy taxation with little to no pay and cruel treatment towards workers and the local communities.^[2]

In 1908 French Equatorial Africa was divided into four colonies in hopes of strengthening French authority within the region.^[3] Until 1934, French Equatorial Africa was a federation of French colonies like French West Africa. That year, however, the AEF became a unitary entity, its constituent colonies becoming known as regions, and later became known as territories in 1937.^[4] There was a single budget for the unified colony; prior to unification, each member had had its own finances.^[5]

As of 1942, the FEA was administered by a governor-general, who had "the supreme direction of all services, both civil and military."^[6] However, the difference in numbers between administrators and the local populace made it difficult for the French to exercise power outside of their headquarters without voluntary or involuntary indigenous cooperation.^[7] Additionally, the governor-general's power was limited in practice by France's centralizing colonial policy. "Most important legislation is enacted in Paris," wrote the authors of the 1942 British naval intelligence handbook for the colony, "whilst the governor-general fills in minor details and penalties."^[6] The governor-general was assisted by a consultative council of administration (Conseil d'Administration) composed of important local officials and some members, both African and European, elected indirectly.^[6] All major administration positions were appointed by French government and were not accountable to officials elected by the African people. Additionally, France held complete control over diplomacy, defense, and politics.^[8]

Under the unified colony, three of the constituent territories, Chad, Gabon, and Ubangi-Shari, were administered by a governor, while Moyen-Congo was under the purview of the governor-general. Each had a council of local interests (Conseil des Interêts Locaux) similar to the council of administration. Locally, the territories were subdivided into départments and subdivisions overseen by appointed officials.^[4] The only municipalities were the capitals of the territories, which were classified as communes mixtes as opposed to Senegal's communes de plein exercise, which had democratically elected councils. Although these municipalities possessed certain powers of local self-government, their mayors and councils---which included African representatives---were appointed.^[9]

Géographie

La plus grande partie de l'Afrique-Équatoriale française s'étendait sur un plateau granitique, encadré par les massifs du Tibesti, de Ouadaï et du Fertit au nord-est, du Darfour à l'est et par les monts de Cristal et du Mayombe au sud-ouest. Deux cuvettes occupaient les parties centrales et méridionales du territoire : la cuvette du Tchad, ancienne mer asséchée dont subsiste encore le lac Tchad, et la cuvette du Congo, parcourue par le fleuve du même nom et ses principaux affluents (Oubangui, Sangha, Alima). Une plaine littorale s'étendait depuis la partie continentale de la Guinée espagnole (aujourd'hui Guinée équatoriale) jusqu'au fleuve Congo. Le point culminant de l'Afrique-Équatoriale française était le mont Emi Koussi (3 415 mètres) dans le Tibesti^[10].

Du fait même de l'étendue du territoire, le climat était très varié d'un point à l'autre, passant d'un climat saharien particulièrement aride au nord à un climat tropical humide dans la partie méridionale. La végétation se ressentait de ses disparités : au nord, la quasi-absence de pluie rendait presque impossible le développement d'une végétation, en dehors de quelques arbustes épineux ; au centre s'étendait le domaine des savanes, où étaient cultivés millet, arachide et manioc ; au sud enfin se trouvaient les forêts tropicales humides, d'où étaient prélevées diverses essences telles que l'ébène et l'okoumé^[10]. Dans les régions littorales étaient cultivés vanilliers, cacaoyers et caféiers^[11].

L'Afrique-Équatoriale française était limitée par le Nigeria britannique, l'Afrique-Occidentale française, la Libye italienne, le Soudan anglo-égyptien et le Congo belge. À l'ouest, il était bordé par l'océan Atlantique^[10].

Geography

Accounting for a little less than an eighth of Africa,^[12] across modern day Central African Republic, Republic of Chad, Republic of the Congo, Republic of Gabon,^[13] and most of Cameroon,^[14] the greater part of French Equatorial Africa extended over a granite plateau, framed by the Tibesti, Ouadaï, and Fertit massifs to the northeast, Darfur to the east and the Crystal mountains and Mayombe in the southwest. Two basins occupied the central and southern parts of the territory: the basin of Chad, a former inland sea of which Lake Chad is a remnant, and the basin of Congo, traversed by the river of the same name and its main tributaries (Oubangui River, Sangha River, and Alima River). A coastal plain stretched from mainland Spanish Guinea (now Equatorial Guinea) to the Congo River. The highest point in French Equatorial Africa was Mount Emi Koussi (3,415 meters) in Tibesti.^[12]

Due to the very size of the territory, the climate varied extremely from one point to another, going from a particularly arid Saharan climate in the north to a humid tropical climate in the southern part. The vegetation was affected by these differences: in the north, the virtual absence of rain made it nearly impossible for vegetation to develop, apart from a few thorny shrubs;^[8] in the center lay the domain of the savannahs, where millet, peanuts and cassava were grown; finally to the south were the humid tropical forests, from which various species such as ebony and okoumé were taken. In the coastal regions, vanilla, cocoa and coffee trees were grown.^[11]

French Equatorial Africa was bounded by British Nigeria, French West Africa, Italian Libya, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and the Belgian Congo. To the west, it bordered the Atlantic Ocean.^[10]

Territories:

• French Chad
• Ubangi-Shari
• French Congo
• French Gabon

References