- Before the conference, European colonization of Africa had been largely informal and unplanned, with various European powers competing for influence and territories in different parts of the continent.
- The Berlin conference formalized this process, establishing rules and procedures for the acquisition of African territories and resolving conflicts between European powers over their respective claims.
The conference ultimately resulted in the division of Africa into 50+ European colonies, as shown in the cartoon, with little regard for the political, ethnic or linguistic boundaries of the African societies. This division had profound consequences for the continent's history and continues to shape the political and social landscapes of African countries today.