Scrambling for the unknown: the invention of Portuguese colonial Africa

Description

The purpose of this communication is to discuss the role that natural resources played in the Portuguese Scramble for Africa. In 1883, a Cartography Commission was founded in the Portuguese Ministry of the Navy and Overseas Territories. Its aim was to coordinate the production of cartography relative to the Portuguese Empire, most notably Africa, in order to generate knowledge useful for the definition of the country’s colonial policy. Although the Portuguese economic and political elite wanted to identify and exploit any resources in African territories of interest, the maps produced until 1891, when the colonies’ main borders were settled, focused on general geographical aspects. Portuguese colonial Africa therefore crystallized before a sound evaluation of its economic potential, which only emerged in the following decades. Such trajectory leads to reconsider the aims, pace, and consequences of the Portuguese Scramble for Africa.

Period	1 Jul 2022
Event title	10th Tensions of Europe Conference
Event type	Conference
Location	Aarhus, DenmarkShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International