General

The following collections all contain material relating to more than one region of Africa. Click on the name of the collection to see a summary description from the A-Z listings. Alternatively, search for the collection on the SOAS Archive Catalogue .

Central Africa

Based upon the UNESCO definition, this area includes the following countries: Cameroon, Central Africas Republic, Chad, Congo, Equitorial Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome and Principe, Zaire.

East Africa

Based upon the UNESCO definition, this area includes the following countries: Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

North Africa

Based upon the UNESCO definition, this area includes the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, the Sahara and Tunisia.

Southern Africa

Based upon the UNESCO definition, this area includes the following countries: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Saint Helena, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

West Africa

Based upon the UNESCO definition, this area includes the following countries: Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Western Sahara.

Useful Resources

There are a number of surveys and guides to assist researchers to identify and locate relevant archival material held in the UK. See also the on-line guide to the Africa Section of the Library.

  • R. W. Baldock, A Survey of Southern African Manuscripts in the United Kingdom (1976)
  • Anita L. P Burdett, Summary guide to Archive and Manuscript collections relevant to the former British Colonial Territories in the United Kingdom (1988)
  • C. A. Jones, Britain and the Dominions. A guide to the business and related records in the UK concerning Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa (1978)
  • N. Matthews, Materials for West African History in the Archives of the United Kingdom (1973)
  • N. Matthews and M. D. Wainwright, A Guide to Manuscripts and Documents in the British Isles relating to Africa (1971)
  • N. Matthews and M. D. Wainwright, A Guide to Manuscripts and Documents in the British Isles relating to the Middle East and North Africa (1980)
  • J. D. Pearson, A Guide to Manuscripts and Documents in the British Isles relating to Africa (1993)
  • A. Thurston, Guide to Archives and Manuscripts relating to Kenya and East Africa in the UK (1991)
  • Anne Thurston Sources for Colonial Studies in the PRO Vol 1 (1995)
  • Comp. Brian Willan, ed by Patricia M. Larby, The Southern African Materials Project (1980)