French Equatorial Africa
/ˌfrɛntʃ ˌɛkwəˈtɔːriəl ˈæfrɪkə/noun
A former French colonial federation in central Africa that existed from 1910 to 1958.
Did you know?French Equatorial Africa was not a single modern nation but a colonial federation whose territories later became Chad, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, and Gabon.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Latin
Latin
Afer / Africa
“A Roman geographical name for lands south of the Mediterranean; the ultimate origin is uncertain, with proposed Berber and other explanations.”
Early Medieval Period
Frankish
*frank
“The ethnonym of the Franks, conventionally associated with the idea of “free,” though the precise relationship between the ethnic name and the adjective remains debated.”
Middle English
English
french
“Relating to France or its people; derived through Old French from the name of the Franks.”
Latin
Latin
aequator
““Equalizer”; the noun for the celestial circle dividing the sphere into equal northern and southern parts.”
1880s–1900s
French
Afrique équatoriale française
“French Equatorial Africa; the French colonial designation for territories around the equator in central Africa.”
1910
French
Afrique-Équatoriale française
“The formal federation of French colonies comprising Middle Congo, Gabon, Ubangi-Shari, and Chad.”
1958
French
Communauté française
“The federation was dissolved as its constituent territories moved toward self-government and independence within the French Community.”