Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a rail

Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th centur

Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence fro

After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific

The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in 19

Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the Brit

The regime of Mohamed SIAD Barre was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,

Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger ho

Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern thir