How did imperialism contribute to World War I?

Imperialism contributed to World War I the amount of land that Britain and France owned led to a heightened rivalry with Germany, which sought to acquire colonies later on and only controlled small portions of Africa. Tensions rose during the fight for Africa in the late 1800s, when European powers France, Germany and Britain secured the remains of the continent. During this time, imperial rivalry was present along with powerful nationalism, helping to contribute to prewar tensions throughout Europe.

Imperialism, an unequal relationship often found in the forms such as empires and forced upon other countries and individuals, led Europeans to keep a close watch on their access to markets, raw materials and returns on investments by taking straightforward political and military control on the undeveloped world.