zimbabwe rhodesia was an unrecognised state that existed from 1 june 1979 to 12 december 1979. zimbabwe rhodesia was preceded by an unrecognised republic named rhodesia and was briefly followed by the re-established british colony of southern rhodesia, which according to british constitutional theory had remained the proper government after unilateral declaration of independence (udi) in 1965. about three months later, the re-established colony of southern rhodesia was granted internationally recognised independence as the republic of zimbabwe.