Africa before the era of colonization was a dynamic region with extensive trade routes that connected diverse cultures and economies. When European colonizers arrived, they upended these trade networks, establishing colonial regions whose sole purpose was to export raw materials to Europe for manufacture. These extractive policies rendered African economies woefully underdeveloped when they gained their independence in the mid-20th century. In the 21st century, despite the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, tariffs and trade barriers are still stifling growth.