Why did the Russian Empire sit out the frantic European scramble for Africa?
In short: During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, European powers aggressively carved up the African continent. This documentary examines why the Russian Empire, despite its status as a major power, remained notably absent from this colonial expansion.
The Scramble for Africa saw European control of the continent jump from 10 percent in the 1870s to about 90 percent by 1914. While nations like France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Belgium established vast colonial holdings, Russia did not participate in this territorial race.
The process was often driven by strategic competition and the pursuit of natural resources, formalized by the Berlin Conference of 1884–85. Although Russia was one of the 14 countries invited to the conference, it ultimately did not secure African territory, unlike its European counterparts who used the meeting to establish frameworks for 'effective occupation' and resolve competing imperial claims.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Why didn't Russia Also Scramble Africa? (Short Animated Documentary)
- Also: Scramble for Africa | Summary, Meaning, Maps, Reasons, End, Colonization, Imperialism, Result, & Facts | Britannica
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