The map of Africa in 1940 paints a stark picture of colonial domination, reflecting the culmination of decades of European expansion and the realities of power on the eve of World War II. Almost the entire continent was carved up and controlled by European powers, with only a handful of nations retaining their sovereignty.
The dominant players were Great Britain and France. British territories sprawled across the eastern and southern regions. Egypt, though nominally independent, remained heavily influenced by Britain. Significant holdings included Nigeria, the Gold Coast (now Ghana), Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe), and the Union of South Africa, later becoming South Africa. These colonies were often strategically important, rich in resources, or vital for trade routes connecting Britain to its Asian empire.
France controlled vast swathes of West and North Africa. French West Africa encompassed territories such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, French Sudan (now Mali), Guinea, and others. Further north, French North Africa included Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. This vast domain provided France with manpower, raw materials, and strategic positioning in the Mediterranean region.
Other European powers held smaller, but nonetheless significant, portions of the continent. Belgium controlled the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), a vast and resource-rich territory notorious for its brutal exploitation under King Leopold II and his successors. Portugal maintained control over Angola and Mozambique, on the western and eastern coasts respectively. Spain possessed Spanish Morocco, Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara), and Spanish Guinea (now Equatorial Guinea).
Italy, under Mussolini, had ambitious plans for expanding its African empire. By 1940, Italy held Italian Libya and Italian East Africa, which included Ethiopia (conquered in 1936), Eritrea, and Italian Somaliland. These acquisitions were motivated by a desire for prestige, resources, and a revival of the Roman Empire.
Importantly, the map also shows the few independent nations. Liberia, founded by freed American slaves, remained an independent republic, though it was heavily reliant on the United States. Ethiopia, after a brief period under Italian occupation, would eventually regain its independence. Egypt, while still subject to British influence, had its own monarchy. South Africa, though technically part of the British Commonwealth, enjoyed a considerable degree of autonomy.
The borders drawn on the 1940 map largely ignored existing ethnic and cultural boundaries, often grouping disparate populations together or dividing historically unified groups. This legacy of arbitrary colonial borders continues to impact political stability and national identity in many African countries today. The map serves as a stark reminder of a period of foreign domination, resource extraction, and the profound and lasting consequences of European colonialism on the African continent.
