Berlin Treaty

The Berlin Treaty, signed in 1885, was an agreement among European powers to regulate their colonization and trade in Africa during the "Scramble for Africa." It aimed to prevent conflicts by establishing rules for claiming African territory, ensuring that claims were based on effective occupation and notifying others of new bounds. This treaty effectively divided Africa among European nations without regard for existing African societies, shaping colonial boundaries and laying the groundwork for future geopolitical divisions on the continent.