Final answer:
Global diamond production historically shifted from a South African monopoly by DeBeers to a more diverse international landscape, with significant contributions from Botswana, Namibia, and Canada. Although DeBeers remains a major player, issues such as conflict diamonds from places like Angola highlight the complex nature of the industry. The imperialist race for resources in the 19th century further expanded diamond mining to new regions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The change in diamond production by country through history can be summarized as follows. Initially, most global diamond production was concentrated in South Africa, where companies like DeBeers established a strong foothold in the mining industry. Over time, the diamond mining industry expanded to other countries, including Botswana, Namibia, and Canada, all of which became significant producers. DeBeers still plays a major role, with mining and production operations across these regions, and a global distribution network of rough diamonds. In Angola, despite being a resource for national income, diamond mining has also been associated with conflict, known as 'blood diamonds,' where rebel groups used diamond sales to finance civil conflicts.
Furthermore, with the advent of the 19th century and imperialism, many European countries competed for natural resources, including diamonds. The search for these resources led to the establishment of ports and colonies in Asia and Africa. This competitive environment created new centers for diamond extraction, thus diversifying the countries involved in the diamond industry, though not always managing to prevent the flow of conflict diamonds into the global market.