Berlin Conference
The Berlin Conference was a meeting of Europe's Great Powers to divide the continent of Africa between them.
Purpose
Europe had a series of overlapping claims over the African continent that threatened to boil over into conflicts, such as the South African War between Great Britain and Holland.
Document Structure
Clauses
The continent was divided into spheres of influences and colonies between the European powers. In order to press a claim, the power must have a historical presence in the region as well as the means to defend their claims. Each nation was able to press claims and gain control. Italy, for example, was able to gain control over Eritrea and Somalia.
In order to strengthen their claim, the North and South German Confederation merged into the German Empire. This managed to secure Namibia to the Germans.
Much of the tension came from the ownership of the Congo region of Africa. Nations such as America wished to keep it as an international zone for free trade. However, the European nations of Holland, Germany, and Britain wished to press claims on the resource rich region, and even considered partitioning it to avoid conflict. However, it was agreed that the United Nordic Kingdom, colloquially known as Sweden, was able to argue a compromise claim with the concession that trade be open through the Congo's waterways to all adjacent colonies.
Caveats
The nations of Ethiopia and Algeria managed to retain their independence. Algeria also expanded their border claims south into the Sahara Desert. This was due to the belief among the European powers that the region held little value.
Publication Status
The treaty became law in 1885 as the dignitaries from the European Great Powers agreed to the terms.
Legal status
The legal status of the Berlin Conference had held up until the outbreak of the Great War. Afterwards, many of the colonies changed hands among the victorious powers. However, at the fall of the Kingdoms of Holland and Occitania to communism, their colonies, particularly those in South Africa, went into a legal purgatory.
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