Importance of these places in 1880-1914? Imperialism in Africa?

1880-1914 THE NEW IMPERIALISM (somewhat like the 18th century variety), was characterized by a frantic competition among European nations to gobble up as much of the world map as possible. This led these nations into conflicts with native peoples and with each other.

One of the biggest stories of the NEW IMPERIALISM is "THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA", which was hot and heavy and well covered in the press (somewhat akin in spirit to the 1960s Space Race and Weapons Race.)

Before 1880 only 10% of Africa was controlled by European Powers: colonies dotted along the coast of West Africa (from the defunct slave trade), settlements in southern Africa by Dutch, English & (long held) Portuguese, and Algeria in the north, conquered by the French.

By 1900 only Ethiopia and Liberia remained free of European control. (Even the Afrikaner Republics in South Africa were conquered by the English in the infamous Boer War.)