Orange Free State flag

On February 17, 1854, the United Kingdom recognized the independence of the Orange Free State. On the 23 of the same month, it officially became independent after signing the Orange River Agreement.

Orange Free State

The Orange Free State was originally an independent country in southern Africa in the second half of the 19th century, and later became a province of South Africa. Part of its name comes from the Orange River, but this name was given by Dutch Protestant pioneers in the name of the Dutch ruling family, the Orange family. After its pioneers left the British-ruled Cape State of Good Hope, they established the zone between the Orange River and the Wach River into a free country. It was later invaded by the British in 1848. Britain recognized the independent Orange Free State on February 17, 1854, and the country officially became independent after signing the Orange River Agreement on February 23. Although the Orange Free State developed into a politically and economically successful republic, it experienced a long war with the United Kingdom in the 1830s (the Boer War) and was invaded by the United Kingdom in 1900 and became the Orange River Colony. It became a province of the Union of South Africa in 1910.