Located on the west coast of Africa just south of Senegal, Guinea-Bissau covers approximately 36,125 kilometers.
The history of Guinea-Bissau is closely linked to the Cape Verde Islands and Portuguese exploration. There are two possible origins for the name Guinea. It may stem from the Berber word “Aguinaou,” which is a reference to “Land of the Blacks.” The second possibility has its roots in European exploration. The Portuguese used Guinea to refer to the entire region from Senegal to Angola. The term may stem from a corruption of Ghana, the African empire known for its gold production that sparked Portuguese interest in the region.
According to the archeological record people settled the Guinea-Bissau area around 11,000 years ago, living in small communities subsisting on hunting and fishing. Over time events farther inland influenced the development of this coastal region. The rise of the medieval empires of Ghana and Mali had particular influence on the coastal region’s politics, economy, and social order. The transSaharan trade that provided the basis of wealth for Ghana and Mali also brought new food products that could be grown in the west African tropics. Additionally, the expansion of trade brought Islam, which played a significant role in all parts of west Africa. Most influential was the development of Mali tributary states, such as the kingdom of Kaabu, which exacted slaves (see slavery), gold, and other resources leading to the displacement of the people living in the Guinea-Bissau area.
In the 15th century Portuguese sailors began their steady move southward around the coast of Africa. By 1460 Antonio de Noli and Kiogo Gomes officially claimed the Cape Verde Islands for King Afonso V of Portugal. The Portuguese quickly established the islands as a major stronghold but were unable to develop a strong presence on the coast with the exception of a few fortified enclaves. Portuguese explorers immediately began trading for slaves (see slave trade). Before the establishment of colonial outposts on the Cape Verde Islands only a few hundred Africans were enslaved each year and exported to Europe or the Canary Islands, but the numbers steadily grew when the Cape Verde settlements developed into slave trading stations.
World History
