Nomenclature
Throughout its history, Rhodesia continued to be referred to by the British, who did not recognise the state, as "Southern Rhodesia". Before 1964, the name "Rhodesia" had referred to the territory consisting of Southern Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia which formed the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. It consisted of modern Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. However, after the former colony of Northern Rhodesia renamed itself Zambia on independence in 1964, and Nyasaland renamed itself Malawi in 1964, the colony of Southern Rhodesia changed its name to simply "Rhodesia", also in 1964.
However, the change had not yet been officially ratified by Britain when Rhodesia declared itself independent, and as a result, the British Government continued to refer to the breakaway colony as "Southern Rhodesia" throughout its existence, a stance it maintained regarding the June–December 1979 successor state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia.
Therefore, when Zimbabwe Rhodesia returned to colonial status from December 1979 to April 1980, it was named "Southern Rhodesia" (which had always been the official British government name for Rhodesia and Zimbabwe Rhodesia). Southern Rhodesia subsequently gained international recognition of its independence in April 1980, when it became the independent Republic of Zimbabwe.
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