Presently Imperialism in Africa is at its peak.16% of the African continent is colonized by various European countries, as of several months ago. There were many reasons for the tactical move of colonization, most of which wrapped around economical gain. In the 1800's David Livingstone, the well-known explorer and missionary, wrote detailed reports about his travels through Africa, and sparked the interest of Britain and other European powers, which saw opportunities for businesspeople and missionaries alike. This, with most certainty, was one of the key factors in starting the Age of Imperialism, in which Europeans greedily tried to plant their flag on as much land as possible.
The race to gain land was a frivolous one, but in the end it reaped rewards for some countries, and brought misery to others. Missionaries sought to Christianize the peoples of Africa, and civilize the non-western inhabitants. Africa is rich in natural resources, such as gold, diamonds, copper, tin, peanuts, palm oil, cocoa, and rubber; not to mention the wealth in slaves and low-cost laborers. Europeans probably would've been colonizing Africa much sooner, if it hadn't been so difficult to explore. With the invention of the steam engine, boats became powerful enough to navigate the treacherous rivers of Africa. In 1859 the Suez Canal, built by the French, greatly reduced the distance of the voyage from Europe to Africa. This canal became known as the British Lifeline.
Many European explorers went out to make discoveries in Africa, and make a name for them selves. One such explorer was James Bruce, who reached the source of the Blue Nile in 1770. Another, Henry Stanley, trekked from the East African coast to the source of the Congo. He set up treaties with the locals and Belgium to start settlements and exploit the mineral wealth. Alexandrine Tinne, the most famous female explorer, went up the Nile in boats to find its source.