Page "History of Western Sahara" Paragraph 21

In the second half of the 19th century several European powers tried to get a foothold in Africa.

France occupied Tunisia and Great Britain Ottoman Egypt.

Italy took possession of parts of Eritrea, while Germany declared Togo, Cameroon and South West Africa to be under its protection.

At the invitation of Germany 14 countries attended the Berlin Conference in 1884-1885 to come to an agreement amongst them about the division of the territories.

At the time of the conference, 80 % of Africa was still under traditional African control.

What resulted of the conference was a new map with geometric, often arbitrary, boundaries.

Western Sahara came under Spanish rule, despite attempts by the Moroccon sultan Hassan I to repel the European incursions on the territory in 1886.

The oases of Tuat in the south-east went to the immense territory of the French Sahara.