During which period did European powers compete to colonize Africa and Asia for resources?

The correct answer is the late 1800s, a time marked by intense competition among European powers for colonization of Africa and Asia. This period is often referred to as the "Scramble for Africa," which began in the 1880s when countries like Britain, France, Germany, and Belgium aggressively sought to acquire territories for their economic interests.

During this era, European nations undertook extensive explorations and set up colonies to exploit natural resources, establish trade routes, and expand their empires. The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 epitomizes this competition, where major powers divided Africa among themselves without regard for existing tribal and cultural boundaries.

The early 1900s continued the trends established in the late 1800s, but the most fervent and chaotic competition for colonies peaked in the previous decades. The mid-1800s saw earlier colonial endeavors, but it wasn't until the late 19th century that the drive to acquire colonies really intensified in a systematic way due to industrialization, nationalism, and the need for new markets and resources. The World War II era marked the decline of colonialism as many colonized nations began to fight for independence, thus not fitting the question's focus on a period