ABSTRACT
It is an interesting fact that the vast Continent of Africa, except for a few comparatively small areas, has been developed solely by various European Powers, and that by far the major portion of the country is still subject to their control. This differentiates Africa from the other Continents, and has doubtless been a factor of great importance in connection with transportation developments. Great Britain and France are principally concerned, as each country is directly interested in territories having an aggregate area much larger than Europe, and may, therefore, be said to control two-thirds of the total area (11,500,000 square miles) of the Continent. Belgium, Portugal, Italy and Spain are also involved, so there is ample scope for railway questions to become interwoven with politics of an international character. Except for Great Britain, however, the interests of the different nations are sharply defined from each other. The British Possessions are widely scattered, east, west and south, while Belgium is interested solely in the Congo, Portugal with Angola and Mozambique, and Spain with relatively small areas. France, however, virtually monopolises the whole of Northern Africa, and the greater part of West and Equatorial Africa, Italy controlling Libya, Eritrea and a slice of Somaliland.
