European Colonization Of Africa - Students - Britannica Kids

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× Subscriber features Email (Subscriber Feature) Cite (Subscriber Feature) Starting in the 1880s, in what became known as the “Scramble for Africa,” European countries raced to occupy the continent, seeking economic and strategic gains. Britain established control over many parts of Africa, including Sudan and much of the south. France began to rule a large territory in the west and north. Germany, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, and Spain also rushed to gain territory. The map of Africa soon looked like a huge jigsaw puzzle, with the land almost completely divided into separate territories controlled by European powers. © Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. ×

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