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Reference.org
Colonisation of Africa
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<p>External colonies were first founded in Africa <a href="/facts/Colonies_in_antiquity/ng1XxwlR">during antiquity</a>. <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greece/PTVBrWXq">Ancient Greeks</a> and <a href="/facts/Ancient_Rome/cGqIuxPd">Romans</a> established colonies on the African continent in <a href="/facts/North_Africa/ItxQAfs7">North Africa</a>, similar to how they established settler-colonies in parts of <a href="/facts/Eurasia/KlLI9GDM">Eurasia</a>. Some of these endured for centuries; however, popular parlance of <a href="/facts/Colonialism/kvqx2DaV">colonialism</a> in Africa usually focuses on the <a href="/facts/History_of_colonialism/z73fzoS5">European conquests</a> of <a href="/facts/List_of_kingdoms_in_Africa_throughout_history/hwzVTGUT">African states</a> and <a href="/facts/Indigenous_peoples_of_Africa/nJSwQJBj">societies</a> in the <a href="/facts/Scramble_for_Africa/0o6YgRdp">Scramble for Africa</a> (1884–1914) during the age of <a href="/facts/New_Imperialism/2wXKdxn7">New Imperialism</a>, followed by gradual <a href="/facts/Decolonisation_of_Africa/Ie9f1Axc">decolonisation</a> after <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>. </p><p>The principal powers involved in the modern colonisation of Africa were <a href="/facts/British_Empire/hrsz0j7A">Britain</a>, <a href="/facts/French_colonial_empire/IRauBDs1">France</a>, <a href="/facts/German_colonial_empire/CC1hchUz">Germany</a>, <a href="/facts/Portuguese_Empire/nxn2wnHj">Portugal</a>, <a href="/facts/Spanish_Empire/RaWWgnQS">Spain</a>, <a href="/facts/Belgian_Empire/XPAWUXVH">Belgium</a>, and <a href="/facts/Italian_Empire/r4YACWVX">Italy</a>. European rule had <a href="/facts/Analysis_of_Western_European_colonialism_and_colonization/lH0l8VwU">significant impacts on Africa's societies</a> and the suppression of communal autonomy disrupted local customary practices and caused the irreversible transformation of Africa's <a href="/facts/Socioeconomics/ywuuTTUN">socioeconomic systems</a>.[1] Colonies were maintained for the purpose of economic exploitation and <a href="/facts/Extractivism/kr31WkyP">extraction</a> of <a href="/facts/Natural_resources_of_Africa/EQEBVdjE">natural resources</a>. In nearly all African countries today, the <a href="/facts/Official_language/yCH2URym">language used in government and media</a> is the one used by a recent colonial power, though most people speak their <a href="/facts/Languages_of_Africa/Nqfy66aE">native African languages</a>. </p>