Southern Rhodesia - Definition and Overview

Southern Rhodesia was the name of the African country of Zimbabwe when still a colony of the United Kingdom. It was also known as Rhodesia for a time.

Named after Cecil Rhodes, the British empire-builder who was the most important figure in European expansion into southern Africa, the original Rhodesia was created in 1888 after Rhodes obtained mineral rights from local chiefs under questionable circumstances. Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) separated from Southern Rhodesia in 1910.

Southern Rhodesia remained a British colony and came to be known simply as Rhodesia. In 1965 it unilaterally declared itself independent under a white-dominated government. After a long, three-way civil war between the white government and two socialistic black African movements, ZAPU and ZANU. Britain resumed control for a brief time and then granted independence to Rhodesia in 1980, whereupon it became Zimbabwe.

Flag of Southern Rhodesia (1896-1923)

Flag of Southern Rhodesia (1923-1953)

See also: Prime Minister of Rhodesia