Nyasaland officials. After a constitutional conference in London in 1962, Nyasaland achieved internal self-government with Banda as Prime Minister in February 1963. Full independence was achieved on 6 July 1964 with Banda as Prime Minister, and the country became the Republic of Malawi, a republic within the Commonwealth, on 6 July 1966, with Banda as President. From 1953 to 1964 Nyasaland was united with Northern Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Nyasaland Nyasaland () was a British Protectorate located in Africa that was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name.
Nyasaland colonial authorities. A growing educated African elite became increasingly vocal and politically active from the 1930s, first through associations, and after 1944, through the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC). There was a marked increase in civil agitation when Nyasaland was forced into a Federation with Southern and Northern Rhodesia in 1953. The failure of the NAC to prevent this caused its collapse. It was revived not long afterwards by a younger and more militant generation which, ultimately, invited Hastings Banda to return to the country and lead it to independence. The 1911 census was the first after the protectorate was renamed