Final answer:
The British Federation in South Central Africa, formed in 1953, consisted of Zambia (Northern Rhodesia), Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia), and Malawi (Nyasaland). It was part of British efforts to manage their African colonies but failed due to nationalist resistance and inequity, leading to its dissolution in 1963 with subsequent independence of the constituent countries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British Federation in South Central Africa, formed in 1953, consisted of three countries which today are known as Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. At the time, these territories were respectively known as Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, and Nyasaland. This federation was an attempt by the British to centralize their administration over these three separate territories, but it faced significant challenges, including nationalist movements and the need to balance the differing interests of the territories. The Federation was not well-received by the African majority populations, as it essentially aimed to consolidate power among the European minority settlers, in a manner similar to the Apartheid system in South Africa. The Federation was eventually dissolved in 1963, with the three countries moving on to gain independence; Zambia and Malawi in 1964, and Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) in 1980.