Southern Rhodesia's Prime Minister Ian Smith unilaterally declares the colony independent as the unrecognised state of Rhodesia.

Southern Rhodesia

British colony in Africa (1923–1965) and (1979-1980)

Southern Rhodesia was a self-governing British Crown colony in Southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally known as South Zambesia until annexation by Britain,…

Ian Smith

Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979

Ian Douglas Smith was a Rhodesian politician, farmer, and fighter pilot who served as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 1964 to 1979. He was the country's first leader to be born and raised in Rhodesia, and led the predominantly white government that unilaterally declared…

Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence

1965 statement declaring Southern Rhodesia's independence from the UK

Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) was a statement adopted by the Cabinet of Rhodesia on 11 November 1965, announcing that Rhodesia, a British crown colony in southern Africa that had governed itself since 1923, now regarded itself as an independent…

List of historical unrecognized states

These lists of historical unrecognized or partially recognized states give an overview of extinct geopolitical entities that wished to be recognized as sovereign states, but did not enjoy worldwide diplomatic recognition. The entries listed here had de facto control over…

Rhodesia

Unrecognised state in Southern Africa (1965–1979)

Rhodesia, officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state in Southern Africa that existed from 1965 to 1979. Rhodesia served as the de facto successor state to the British colony of Southern Rhodesia following a unilateral declaration of independence…