In the early 1800s, european countries competed for colonies in

Africa is your answer

The correct answer is Africa. According to the historian there are three waves of European Colonialism. The first wave Spain, Portugal and Ottoman empire lunched the colonisation in the middle east, south Eastern europe and african islands. the second wave, Britain colonised  subcontinent through East india Company. In the early 1800s (third wave) European countries colonised and divided africa through berlin conference.

by creating a labor shortage that pushed the continent toward a market economy