# Year of Africa (1960)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1960-year-of-africa
Location: Sub-Saharan Africa
Themes: Politics

Seventeen African countries gain independence in 1960. Mission churches pass to African leadership, and sub-Saharan Africa goes from about 9% Christian in 1910 to a large majority by the end of the century. At this point in the timeline (1960), the Bishop of Rome was Pope John XXIII (28 October 1958 – 3 June 1963).

## Why it matters
Independence turned African Christianity from a mission field into the fastest-growing region of the world church.

Pope at the time: [Pope John XXIII](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-john-xxiii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Year of Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_of_Africa)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Year of Africa](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Year+of+Africa)
- [Wikipedia — Modern Era (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_the_20th_century)