Changes

France was another European power competing for control of the Congo, which contained valuable copper and tin deposits.  Further to the south, in what is South Africa today, there were even richer gold and silver deposits.    The European powers saw much wealth in Africa in the form of minerals and wanted this for themselves.  They also wanted plantations that could produce rubber, palm oil and even cocoa (chocolate) for the European factories.

France was another European power competing for control of the Congo, which contained valuable copper and tin deposits.  Further to the south, in what is South Africa today, there were even richer gold and silver deposits.    The European powers saw much wealth in Africa in the form of minerals and wanted this for themselves.  They also wanted plantations that could produce rubber, palm oil and even cocoa (chocolate) for the European factories.

To minimize armed conflict the Europeans held the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to divide Africa among themselves, without regard to what the tribes of Africa wanted.  Ethnic and cultural differences within Africa were also ignored, and lines of demarcation were arbitrarily drawn for the sole benefit of the European nations.  All of Africa except for Ethiopia (which successful resisted Italian control in 1896) and Liberia were divided and taken by European nations.

To minimize armed conflict the Europeans held the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to divide Africa among themselves, without regard to what the tribes of Africa wanted.  Ethnic and cultural differences within Africa were also ignored, and lines of demarcation were arbitrarily drawn for the sole benefit of the European nations.  All of Africa except for Ethiopia (which successfullly resisted Italian control in 1896) and Liberia were divided and taken by European nations.

One of Africa’s biggest and wealthiest countries today is South Africa, located on the southern tip of the continent.  It has a very advantageous location for trade routes by sea from Western Europe to India and the Far East.  As a result, there was far more immigration by Europeans to South Africa than any other region of Africa, and whites of European ancestry completely ruled South Africa until the late 1900s.  Since then, democracy has brought representative government to the African ethnic groups.  The World Cup (soccer) will be played in 2010 in South Africa, the first time it has ever been held in Africa.

One of Africa’s biggest and wealthiest countries today is South Africa, located on the southern tip of the continent.  It has a very advantageous location for trade routes by sea from Western Europe to India and the Far East.  As a result, there was far more immigration by Europeans to South Africa than any other region of Africa, and whites of European ancestry completely ruled South Africa until the late 1900s.  Since then, democracy has brought representative government to the African ethnic groups.  The World Cup (soccer) will be played in 2010 in South Africa, the first time it has ever been held in Africa.