The 2 African Nations That were never Colonized by Europeans

The two African nations that have never experienced colonization are Ethiopia and Liberia. This page looks at these two African nations that were never colonized by Europe.

Also Read: How Emperor Menelik II defeated the Italians in the Battle of Adwa, Making Ethiopia the only African Country Never to be Colonized

The Reasons Behind The Non-Colonization of Ethiopia and Liberia

Ethiopia and Liberia were never colonized by European forces for a number of reasons.

1) Ethiopia: Despite several efforts, Europeans were never able to properly occupy Ethiopia. This is mostly because of the huge mountains that shielded it and made invasions challenging.

The Ethiopian people were also fiercely independent and victorious in the War against Italy in the Battle of Adwa, demonstrating their ability to withstand subjugation.

2) The Italian Army under Bennito Mussolini was defeated by Menelik II at the Battle of Adwa, demonstrating Ethiopia’s strong resistance to European colonization.

3) Liberia: Not being on the main routes for the slave trade, Liberia had little touch with Europe and was never colonized.

Furthermore, Liberia lacked all of the raw materials that the European Powers at the time were seeking.

Finally, by obstructing Christian missionaries’ entry into the country’s interior, the native population of Liberia fought colonization.