How did European colonial powers set up borders in Africa?

Answer 1

There had been trading posts along the coasts and along the main rivers. And South Africa. But Middle Africa was mainly unregulated until the 1870's.

"The Berlin Conference (German: Kongokonferenz or "Congo Conference") of 1884–85 regulated European colonization and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period"

"In the 1880s, European interest in Africa increased dramatically. Henry Morton Stanley's discovery of the Congo River Basin (1874–1877) removed the last bit of terra incognita from the maps of the continent."

"At the same time, the French marine officer Pierre de Brazza traveled into the western Congo basin and raised the French flag over the newly-founded Brazzaville in 1881, in modern Republic of Congo."

"At the same time, various European countries tried to get a foothold in Africa. France occupied Tunisia and today's Republic of the Congo in 1881 — which partly convinced Italy to become part of the Triple Alliance — and Guinea in 1884. In 1882, Great Britain occupied the nominally Ottoman Egypt, which in turn ruled over the Sudan and parts of Somalia. In 1870 and 1882, Italy took possession of the first parts of Eritrea, while Germany declared Togo, Cameroon, South West Africa (now Namibia) and German East Africa to be under its protection in 1884."

"The General Act fixed the following points:"

- The Free State of the Congo was confirmed as private property of the Congo Society. Thus the territory of today's Democratic Republic of the Congo, some two million square kilometers, was made essentially the property of Léopold II (because of the terror regime established, it would finally become a Belgian colony).
- The 14 signatory powers would have free trade throughout the Congo basin as well as Lake Niassa and east of this in an area south of 5° N.
- The Niger and Congo Rivers were made free for ship traffic.
- An international prohibition of the slave trade was signed.
- The principle was set down that powers could only possess colonies if they actually possessed them (Principle of Effectivity).
- Any fresh act of taking possession of any portion of the African coast would have to be notified by the power taking possession, or assuming a protectorate, to the other signatory powers.
- Africa was divided between the main powers of Europe"

"Between France and Great Britain"
"A line running from Say in Niger to Baroua, on the north-east coast of Lake Chad determined what part belonged to whom. France would own territory to the north of this line, and Great Britain would own territory to the south of it. The Nile Basin would be British, with the French taking the basin of the Lake Chad. Furthermore, between the 11th and 15th degrees longitude, the border would pass between Ouaddaï, which would be French, and Darfur in Sudan, to be British. In reality, a no man's land 200 kilometres wide was put in place between the 21st and 23rd meridian."

"Between France and Germany"
"To the north of a line formed by the intersection of the 14th meridian and Miltou was designated French, to the south being Germany's."

"Between Britain and Germany"
"The separation came in the form of a line passing through Yola, on the Benoué, Dikoa, going up to the extremity of Lake Chad"

"Between France and Italy"
"Italy was to own what lies north of a line from the intersection of the Tropic of Cancer and the 17th meridian to the intersection of the 15th parallel and 21st meridian."

"The Scramble for Africa sped up after the Conference, since even within areas designated as their sphere of influence, the European powers still had to take possession under the Principle of Effectivity. In central Africa in particular, expeditions were dispatched to coerce traditional rulers into signing treaties, using force if necessary."

"By 1902, 90% of all the land that makes up Africa was under European control. The large part of the Sahara was French, while after the quelling of the Mahdi rebellion and the ending of the Fashoda crisis, the Sudan remained firmly under joint British–Egyptian rulership."

"The Boer republics were conquered by Great Britain in the Boer war from 1899 to 1902. Morocco was divided between the French and Spanish in 1911, and Libya was conquered by Italy in 1912. The official British annexation of Egypt in 1914 ended the colonial division of Africa. By this point, all of Africa, with the exceptions of Liberia and Ethiopia, were under European rule."

"Berlin Conference" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_conference

Answer 2

There was no actual fixed date when the borders were consolidated. Many states were piecemeal aquisitions as European states tried to grab land based on stratigic or economic criteria. It was a bit like a continental version of tick tack toe (noughts and crosses), each imperial power tried to prevent itself from being outflanked by its opponents.

Answer 3

All the european leaders met for a conference ...i forgot the name... in berlin, germany ...who was hosting the conference... and they negotiated it.

Answer 4

Arbitrarily, mostly.