WORLD HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The rivers of Africa have many rapids and waterfalls and are not fit for navigation. The extensive equatorial forests and swampy lands teeming with dangerous tsetse flies and poisonous insects discouraged explorers from entering the heart of the continent.

Detailed explanation-2: -Henry Stanley named Africa “The Dark Continent” in his 1878 travelogue, remarking that it was poorly known. Only 7 years later, the Congress of Berlin felt obliged to carve up the darkness into convenient chunks for the European powers’ pleasure and profit.

Detailed explanation-3: -Explorer Henry M. Stanley used it in his 1878 book, Through the Dark Continent. In fact, it is still used today, but in context. Because of the dearth of electricity on much of the continent, satellite imaging from outer space depicts much of Africa at night as literally a dark continent.

Detailed explanation-4: -The most common answer to the question, “Why was Africa called the Dark Continent?” is that Europe did not know much about Africa until the 19th century.

Detailed explanation-5: -Why was Africa known as the “Dark Continent” before the 19th century? Africa was called the “Dark Continent” because so little was known about the uncharted land.