Why did the europeans control such a small portion of Africa in the 1800s?

Answer 1

Europeans controlled essentially ALL of Africa in the 1800s.
By 1884 at the Berlin Conference, the only two countries not controlled by Europeans were Ethiopia and Liberia. (See map in the Wiki site listed below.)
European control did not extend very far into the interior of the continent because of diseases - especially malaria and sleeping sickness - - but there were also other diseases new to Europeans. In the latter part of the 1800s after quinine was extensively used preventively, it was easier for Europeans to explore up the Niger and the Congo rivers.


Nadie is right that there were no roads to the interior and Africa is a very LARGE continent, but Europeans had little difficulty subduing natives - except for the Zulu in Natal -
and animals were not a huge deterrent thanks to bullets. River access was easiest, but water is where the anopheles mosquitoes and malaria were prevalent.

Answer 2

They were just beginning to penetrate it. Africa was too difficult to enter. No paths, many wild animals, etc, etc