iv. Africa

UPSC Full Course [English]

About Lesson

Africa was decolonized between the mid-to-late 1950s and 1975. The changes that occurred during the process were abrupt and radical, as the colonies forged their way toward independence, which was sometimes marred by political violence.
The Second World War, like Asian decolonization, was a critical component in the independence of African states.

Scramble of Africa
Details	The Colonization of Africa: During the 19th-20th century, the African continent was colonized mainly by European powers like Britain, France, Spain, Portugal, and Russia. Colonialism reached its logical conclusion with the rise of new industrial powers in Europe – Germany, and Italy. This led to a competition for accruing larger and larger empires that meant more power and prestige to these countries.
This was most pronounced in the tragic event of Scramble for Africa.	This happened during the period of New Imperialism (1881-1914). The increasing rivalry between European powers – Britain, France, Germany, etc – meant that they needed more and more markets and sources for cheap raw materials. The starting point of the Scramble for Africa was the Berlin Conference in 1884. The conference regulated European colonization and trade in Africa. The settlement was reached at the Berlin Conference of 1884. In 1870, less than 10% of African territory was under European control. By 1914, it had increased to almost 90%! This is known as the scramble of Africa.