Africa

In the 19th century and possibly before, Africa was occasionally referred to as the Dark Continent, though mainly only the regions south of Sahara desert. Thus any fiction based on that time period may refer to Africa by that name. The term is no longer in actual use as Africa has been completely explored (or as much as anyone cares to explore it) and the reference to African natives as darks/darkies has become to be considered somehow derogatory to some.

History:
* Ancient Egypt, ? – ~30 BCE
* European exploration of Africa, 17th century – ?, mapping finished by the end of 19th century
* Scramble for Africa, 1880s – 1910s
* Decolonization, 1950s – 2010s