Rhodesia & Nyasaland Philately

The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was established on 1 August 1953 as a colonial federation that consisted of three southern African territories: the self-governing British colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland.

The causes of the Federation’s failure were purely political: the strong and growing opposition of the African inhabitants. The rulers of the new black African states were united in wanting to end colonialism in Africa. With most of the world moving away from colonialism during the late 1950s and early 1960s, the United Kingdom was subjected to pressure to de-colonise from both the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). These groups supported the aspirations of the black African nationalists and accepted their claims to speak on behalf of the people.

The federation officially ended on 31 December 1963. In 1964, shortly after the dissolution, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland became independent under the names Zambia and Malawi, respectively. In November 1965, Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom as the state of Rhodesia.

About this exhibit

This online exhibit contains stamps, postcards and postal stationery reflecting the life of the Federation.

I began this collection in 2010. Exhibiting my collection online allows me to add new acquisitions, new research and additional areas with minimal effort and share the material with others.

All images available at Rhodesia & Nyasaland Philately (Facebook).