Question

Why were Egypt and South Africa important colonies for Britain during the "Scramble for Africa"?

Answer 1

Egypt was important because it controlled the Suez canal, the gateway between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

South Africa was important because it had many important port cities, including Cape Town, which means Britain could control the Cape of Good Hope.

Britain controlling these two routes meant that they controlled a very large portion of European overseas trade to Asia and Africa.