How Did European Imperialism Affect Africa

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Africa is a continent rich in natural resources and it may be surprising that its resources haven’t been enough to pull it out of poverty. Although there are many resources, there are also many issues. Many of Africa’s industries are focussed on raw materials. For example, agriculture is the main industry in Africa, employing two-thirds of the working population and contributing 20% to 60% of every country’s GDP. Forestry is also an important industry and contributes up to 6% of Africa’s GDP, which is higher than any other continent. Fishing, another main industry in Africa, is valued at $2.7 billion USD and provides income for 10 million people. Africa also focusses on exporting raw materials such as metals and minerals, including uranium, platinum, nickel, bauxite and cobal. These raw materials are used around the world to produce nuclear energy, industrial …show more content…

Colonialism impacted Africa in many different ways, some positive and some negative. Colonisation was the biggest factor in ending the slave trade between Africa and countries around the world. The Europeans brought to Africa modern things such as; legal systems, democratic institutions, improved economic institutions, and technology (railroads, mining, etc.) . Europe also helped to integrate them into world trade and to get their property rights secured. Once the European powers left, much of what was positive disappeared and went into reverse while many of the negatives stayed. GDP on average, life expectancy and literacy increased slightly during colonialism but soon reversed after independence. Colonialism also created a disorganized system which led to political conflicts, instability and dictatorships. This led to corruption and political authoritarianism as well as local institutions becoming unaccountable. Many of the issues that arose due to colonialism are still present in Africa

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