former French overseas territory in W Africa, including the present countries of Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Benin, & Niger
See French West Africa in American Heritage Dictionary 4
A former federation (1895-1958) of French territories in western Africa comprising the present-day countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.