European dominance

Although Mediterranean Africa has old relations with Europe, European dominance on the continent began with maritime expansion carried out mainly by Portugal, Germany, France, and England, which marked commercial capitalism, beginning in the 15th century.

Territorial domination

Territorial domination to exploit Africa's natural resources has created or accentuated the problems on the continent.

An example of this occurred in the 15th century:

• The Portuguese launched their efforts to dominate supposed silver mines in Angola- but obtained only low-value minerals at the time, such as coal.

• Still, in search of wealth, the Portuguese decided to establish and dominate a new route between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans: the Angola-Mozambique route, a territory rich in gold.

• Portugal already dominated the ports off the coast of Mozambique. But the dispute over the area ended up attracting the interest of the English, who already had colonies in South Africa.

• This dispute allowed the English to expand their dominions between Angola and Mozambique.

• Today, we know that his region is rich in high-value ores.

European occupation

• The European occupation was consolidated with the installation of other commercial ports along the Atlantic and Indian coasts and remained in the North and on the coast of Africa.

• The middle of the continent was occupied by Europeans in the mid-same century, in colonization that lasted until the 1970s and still has consequences today.

• This process has destructed the African peoples, reaching local economies and creating artificial borders that have given rise to civil wars.

Slave trade

• The slave trade, which transported nearly 40 million Africans to America and the Middle East, was responsible for subtracting part of the local labor force and accentuating this economic and social disorganization.

• As a whole, the economic development of most African countries became increasingly difficult, and poverty became widespread on the continent.

• Consequently, entire countries currently suffer from hunger, low life expectancy, illiteracy, unemployment, and epidemics.

• Even during the 19th century, Europe experienced an advance in industrialization, which increased the need for cheap raw materials.

• Therefore, industrialized countries sought to guarantee their colonial possessions in the world.

Berlin Conference

• Between 1884 and 1885, the Berlin Conference occurred, in which European powers sought to resolve their disputes over African territories, define rights of navigation and trade and avoid conflicts between them.

• After this meeting, Great Britain and France became the predominant powers. That is, with greater land dominance in Africa.

• In the following years, colonial borders consolidated.

Africa: colonial sharing - 1914

• The French colonies were concentrated in western and equatorial parts and included desert, semi-arid landscapes, and dense forests.

• The French also dominated much of the Atlas Chain in the Maghreb.

• The British formed an almost continuous colonial strip, from north to south, in the eastern part of the African continent, encompassing Egypt to the present-day Republic of South Africa.

• Germany, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and Italy occupied sparse or more limited territories and, in some cases. But not necessarily less important.

• Ethiopia and Liberia were the only African countries that managed to maintain independence at the time.

• With the occupation of the continent defined, the European powers had to communicate their intentions of colonization in these lands.

• From that moment on, an imperialist race began, in which European countries defined the borders of their colonies through agreements with each other, disregarding the needs and history of the African peoples.

• The military strategy "divide to dominate" was the demarcation of borders, dividing peoples, and uniting rivals in the same territory.

• This strategy destabilized the social, political, and military population, thereby facilitating European dominance.

• After the Sharing of Africa, agro-exporting economies were also established on the continent, forcing the African population to abandon their traditional (subsistence) economy to dedicate themselves to plantations.

• As a deal, the natives became increasingly dependent on low wages to ensure their survival.

• In many cases, the external interest in African wealth has caused foreign governments to support local dictatorships to maintain order and enable economic exploitation.