In a surge of European imperialism to protect established interests, expand territory and compete for world influence at the end of the 19th century, European powers carved almost the entire into a collection of colonies.

Africa

Explanation:

The European powers divided almost the entirety of Africa among themselves after the Berlin Conference. Arbitrary borders that ignored Africa's history and ethnicities were drawn, and many of those borders live up to this day, causing conflict in the continent.

islam spread slowly through much of africa through trade and preaching.