POLITICAL DIVISIONS. After 1875 the political map of Africa began to change completely. The modifications were due to the rapid progress of explorations, to conflicts with some of the native tribes and to the predominating influence which some of the great powers of Europe exercised. As a result of these influences, the entire continent, with the exception of Abyssinia, Morocco and Liberia, came directly or indirectly under control of one of the European governments. The principal political divisions were as follows: Independent states: Abyssinia, Morocco and Liberia. Quasi-independent states: Egypt and British Sudan. While Egypt and the Sudan maintain governments nominally subject to Turkey, they are practically under British rule, and the Kongo Free State is under the jurisdiction of the king of Belgium. There are also many petty kingdoms in the colonial possessions of European powers. Belgian colony: Kongo State. British colonies: Basutoland, Bechuanaland Protectorate, British Central Africa Protectorate, British East Africa, Cape Colony, Gambia, Gold Coast, Lagos, Mashonaland, Matebeleland, Natal, Niger Coast Protectorate, Nigeria, Orange River Colony, Rhodesia, Sierra Leona, Somali Coast Protectorate, Transvaal Colony, Uganda, Walfish Bay, Zanzibar, Zululand. Area, 3,031,084 square miles; total population, 42,647,761. The Niger territories are governed by the Royal Niger Company, under a charter issued in July, 1886. French colonies: Algeria, Algerian Sahara, Dahomey, French Kongo, French Guinea, French Sudan, Ivory Coast, Sahara, Senegal, Somali Coast and Obock, Tunis, Wadai. Total area, 3,260,814 square miles; total population, 31,682,000. German colonies: Kameroon, German East Africa, German Southwest Africa, Togoland. Total area, 930,760 square miles; total population, 14,200,000. Portuguese colonies: Angola, Portuguese East Africa, Portuguese Guinea. Total area, 790,240 square miles; total population, 8,059,000. Italian colonies: Eritrea, Somaliland. Total area, 188,500 square miles; total population, 950,000. Spanish colonies: Rio d'Oro, Spanish Kongo. Total area, 244,000 square miles; total population, 107,000. Turkish colonies: the Turkish colonies not mentioned above are Tripoli, including Benghazi. Area, 398,000 square miles; population, 1,300,000. By the 1960s most former colonies had become independent. Algeria - 1962 Libya - 1951 Mauritania - 1960 Mali - 1960 Nigeria - 1960 Niger - 1960 Chad - 1960 Sudan - 1956 Uganda - 1962 Zaire (formerly Belgian Congo) - 1960 Tanzania - 1961 (Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged as Tanzania in 1964) Zambia - 1964 Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) - 1961