German Africa: Map & History
Germany colonized Africa during two distinct periods.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
Germany colonized Africa during two distinct periods. In the 1680s, the Margraviate of Brandenburg, then leading the broader realm of Brandenburg-Prussia, pursued limited imperial efforts in West Africa. The Brandenburg African Company was chartered in 1682 and established two small settlements on the Gold Coast of what is today Ghana. Five years later, a treaty with the king of Arguin in Mauritania established a protectorate over that island, and Brandenburg occupied an abandoned fort originally constructed there by Portugal. Brandenburg — after 1701, the Kingdom of Prussia — pursued these colonial efforts until 1721, when Arguin was captured by the French and the Gold Coast settlements were sold to the Dutch Republic.
Modern Countries Once Part of German Africa
At its mapped extent, German Africa covered territory in 10 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Cameroon1885–1915 CE · nearly all
- Burundi1900–1915 CE · nearly all
- Rwanda1898–1915 CE · nearly all
- Togo1885–1914 CE · nearly all
- Namibia1885–1915 CE · nearly all
- Tanzania1890–1917 CE · most
- Gabon1911–1915 CE · a large part
- Central African Republic1911–1915 CE · a large part
- Republic of the Congo1911–1915 CE · a small part
- DR Congo1898–1915 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside German Africa's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
German Africa in Depth
Background
The roots of German colonization in Africa trace back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when various German states, most notably Brandenburg-Prussia, made efforts to participate in overseas expansion, inspired by the activities of other European powers. The most notable of these early ventures was the establishment of the Brandenburg African Company (Brandenburger Afrikanische Compagnie), which operated between 1682 and 1721. The company founded trading posts, including Neufriedrichsburg along the Gold Coast in present-day Ghana, primarily for the purpose of trading gold, ivory, and slaves. However, these possessions remained minor, struggled with limited resources, and faced competition from Dutch, Danish, and British traders.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: German colonization of Africa (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Interactive map
German Africa on the World War I map →
See German Africa’s territory change day by day from 1 August 1914, with every battle it fought.
German Africa Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which German Africa appears, with the other states of the time.
German Africa Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 2,671,308 km² in 1912 CE.
German Africa: Frequently Asked Questions
When did German Africa exist?
German Africa is dated to 1871 CE – 1918 CE, in the Industrial era.
How large was German Africa at its peak?
At its peak in 1912 German Africa covered about 2,671,308 km².
How did the map of German Africa change over time?
German Africa appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1900 CE to 1914 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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