British Togoland was a League of Nations Class B mandate in West Africa, under the mandatory power of the United Kingdom. It was effectively formed in 1916 by the splitting of the occupied German protectorate of Togoland into two territories, French Togoland and British Togoland, during the First World War. In 1922, British Togoland was formally placed under British rule while French Togoland, now Togo, was placed under French rule.
Following the Second World War, the political status of British Togoland changed, as it became a United Nations Trust Territory, although still administered by the United Kingdom. During the decolonization of Africa, a referendum was organised in British Togoland in May 1956 to decide the future of the territory. A majority of voters taking part voted to merge the territory with the neighbouring Gold Coast, a British Crown colony. Less than three months after the two territories were formally merged in December 1956, the Gold Coast gained independence as Ghana in March 1957.
British Togoland's capital was Ho, which now serves as the capital of Ghana's Volta Region. The Region includes much of the former mandate's territory.
Read more about British Togoland: Origin, United Nations Trust Territory, Joining Ghana
Famous quotes containing the word british:
“Anthropology is the science which tells us that people are the same the whole world over—except when they are different.”
—Nancy Banks-Smith, British columnist. Quoted in Guardian (London, July 21, 1988)