Context: At the time of the Berlin Conference, Africa contained one-fifth of the world’s population living in one-quarter of the world’s land area. However, from Europe's perspective, they were dividing an unknown continent. European countries established a few coastal colonies in Africa by the mid-nineteenth century, which included Cape Colony (Great Britain), Angola (Portugal), and Algeria (France), but until the late nineteenth century Europe largely traded with free African states without feeling the need for territorial possession. Until the 1880s most of Africa remained unchartered, with western maps from the period generally showing blank spaces for the continent’s interior.

Question: What percent of the worlds population did Africa posses at the Berlin Conference?
Answer: one-fifth

Question: What was Europe's perspective o Africa containing one-fifth of the worlds population?
Answer: they were dividing an unknown continent.

Question: When did European countries establish colonies in Africa?
Answer: the mid-nineteenth century,

Question: Europe did not feel the need to posses territory in Africa until?
Answer: 1880s

Question: How did maps show Africa Before 1880?
Answer: generally showing blank spaces for the continent’s interior.