Factors considered in dividing African continent Scramble for and partition of Africa

Factors considered in dividing African continent.

• Early settlement of European from different countries, in some parties of Africa which were occupied by European before the Berlin conference like missionaries, traders, explorers and traveler, for example Cecil Rhodes in southern Africa John Moffat who stayed in Matebele land for about thirty years the Portuguese who stayed in Angola and Mozambique for long, the Berlin conference considered this case by giving the territories o individual European nations in favour.

• The early exploration and discoveries. Former exploration of some African region was also another factor for a certain nation to receive a certain territory, for example in case of Dr. living stone’s exploration in central Africa he drew the map of Chobe river in nowadays Zimbabwe fell under the British government which had sent Dr. living stone, in the similar case curl peters won Tanganyika for Germany.

• Strategic factors, also this factor pre determined the division of Africa region among the European nations for instance the Egyptian British question explain the reason for the timing and dividing African continent among the European powers, factors considered to be strategic included existence of rivers for easy navigation in the interior existence of minerals population and fertility of the soils.

• The treaties signed between African and European and between European county and European country were also another consideration in determining the division of the African territories among the imperialists, e.g. H. Johnson made treaties with Mangi Rindi of Kilimanjaro in July 1884 and Karl peters organized more treaties in Usambara, Uzigua, Ukami and Kilosa.

• Influence and development in the region, this was also considered a factor to determine the division of African continent among the imperialist powers, in areas which any European power had already put some investments or had influence over it before the Berlin conference was also distributed to her, e.g. Zanzibar with the British who had already shown interest over the islands.