South West Africa - Definition and Overview

South-West Africa is the former name (1884-1990) of Namibia under German (as German South-West Africa, Deutsch Süd-West Afrika) and (from 1915) South African administration when it was conqured from the Germans during World War I. Following the war, the Treaty of Versailles declared the territory to be a League of Nations Mandate under South African administration. South-West Africa formally excluded Walvis Bay from the mandate and annexed it as an enclave though it became part of Namibia in 1994. The Mandate was supposed to become a United Nations Trust Territory when League of Nations Mandates were transferred to the United Nations following World War II but the Union of South Africa refused to agree to allowing the territory to begin the transition to independence and it essentially became a South African colony. This resulted in a protracted struggle between South Africa and forces fighting for independence, particularly after the formation of the South West Africa People's Organisation in 1960. The territory was granted independence as the nation of Namibia in 1990.

See also:

• History of Namibia