Stellaland

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Historical states of present-day
South Africa

Mapungubwe (1050–1270)
Cape Colony (1652–1910)
Swellendam (1795)
Graaff Reinet (1795–1796)
Waterboer's Land (1813–1871)
Adam Kok's Land (1825–1861)
Winburg (1836–1844)
Potchefstroom (1837–1848)
Republic of Utrecht (1854–1858)
Lydenburg Republic (1856–1860)
Nieuw Republiek (1884–1888)
Griqualand East (1861–1879)
Griqualand West (1870)
Klein Vrystaat (1886–1891)
Stellaland (1882–1885)
Goshen (1882–1883)
Zululand (1816–1897)
Natalia Republic (1839–1843)
Orange Free State (1854–1902)
South African Republic (1857–1902)
Union of South Africa (1910–1961)
Bophuthatswana (1977–1994)
Ciskei (1981–1994)
Transkei (1976–1994)
Venda (1979–1994)
Republic of South Africa (1961–present)

Map of Stellaland and surrounding regions

Stellaland Flag 1883

Stellaland was a short-lived Boer republic from 1882 until 1885, located in an area of Bechuanaland, west of the then South African Republic.

[edit] History

The republic was formally created on 26 July 1882 by David Massouw and 400 followers, under the leadership of Gerrit Jacobus van Niekerk (1849-1896). The town of Vryburg was founded and declared its capital. On 7 August 1883 it united with the state of Goshen to form the "United States of Stellaland".

However, in 1885 the British sent in a force under Sir Charles Warren, who subsequently abolished the republic on 30 September and re-incorporated its territory into British Bechuanaland.

Stellaland Flag 1883–1885

During its existence, Stellaland adopted three different flags, according to Flags of the World.

The far-right political party, the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging have recently been lobbying for the area along with Goosen to become an independent Boer republic. According to party leader, Eugène Terre'Blanche the Boers have contracts conferring ownership of the area and will take their case to The Hague if necessary.