French North Africa

French North Africa (French: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is a term often applied to the three territories that were controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

[2] In subsequent decades, a substantial European settler population emerged in Algeria known as the Pieds-Noirs.

Seeking to expand their influence beyond Algeria, the French established protectorates to the east and west of it.

These lasted until 1956 when both protectorates gained full independence, Tunisia on 20 March and Morocco on 7 April.

French rule in North Africa was finally ended as a result of the Algerian War (1954–62) and the Évian Accords of March 1962 which enabled the Algerian independence referendum of July 1962.