The map above presents a very short history of colonialism around the world from 1492-2008 in one simple GIF. Interestingly, it doesn’t limit itself to European colonialism but also includes the colonial empires of the United States, Russia/Soviet Union and Japan.
Colonial Africa On The Eve of World War I
The map above shows how the African continent was divided in 1914 just before the outbreak of World War I. By this time, European powers controlled 90% of the continent with only Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Liberia retaining independence.