British West Africa

British West African Settlements
1821–1850
1866–1888
Flag of
Flag
Badge of
Badge
Anthem: God Save the King (1821–1837)
God Save the Queen (1837–1850; 1866–1888)
Location of British West Africa. From left to right: The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Nigeria.
Location of British West Africa. From left to right: The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Gold Coast and Nigeria.
StatusCrown colony
CapitalFreetown
Common languagesEnglish (official)
GovernmentCrown colony
Monarch 
• 1821–1830
George IV (first)
• 1837–1850; 1866–1888
Victoria (last)
Historical eraAbolitionism
New Imperialism
• Established
17 October 1821
• Disestablishment
13 January 1850
• Second establishment
19 February 1866
• Final disestablishment
28 November 1888
CurrencyPound sterling
British West African pound
Succeeded by
Gambia Colony and Protectorate
Gold Coast (British colony)
Oil Rivers Protectorate
Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate
Today part of The Gambia
 Ghana
 Nigeria
 Sierra Leone
 Cameroon

British West Africa was the collective name for British settlements in West Africa during the colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or the formal colonial administrative entity. British West Africa as a colonial entity was originally officially known as Colony of Sierra Leone and its Dependencies, then British West African Territories and finally British West African Settlements.[1]

The United Kingdom held varying parts of these territories or the whole throughout the 19th century. From west to east, the colonies became the independent countries of The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria. Until independence, Ghana was referred to as the Gold Coast.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference WorldStatesmen was invoked but never defined (see the help page).