HISTORY OF HONDURAS

Within Guatemala: to AD 1821

Within the Spanish empire the long narrow strip of central America is known as Guatemala. It is among the earliest of colonial conquests on the mainland. Pedro de Alvarado, a leading member of Cortés’ small party in the conquest of Mexico (1519-21), is sent south in 1523 to subdue the smaller area now known as…

HISTORY OF GUINEA-BISSAU

The Slave Coast: 15th – 19th century AD

From the viewpoint of European history the Guinea Coast is associated mainly with slavery. Indeed one of the alternative names for the region is the Slave Coast. But the link is entirely the result of the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. Before that period the slave trade, centuries old in…

HISTORY OF GHANA

The Gold Coast: 15th – 19th century AD

Little is known of the small African kingdoms in the region between the Tano and Volta rivers until the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. Portuguese navigators, working their way down the west African coast, reach this area in 1471 and build a fortress at Elmina in 1482. But others follow…

HISTORY OF THE GAMBIA

The Senegal and Gambia rivers: to AD 1894

For a vessel sailing down the west coast of Africa, the mouth of the Senegal river offers the first refreshing welcome after the parched territory of the western Sahara. Further south, round the difficult promontory of Cape Verde, is the even more enticing estuary of the Gambia. Here the channel…

HISTORY OF GABON

Independence: from AD 1960

During the French colonial period, the northern boundaries of Gabon have been agreed with German Cameroon in 1885 and with Spanish Guinea in 1900. The eastern border, with Middle Congo, is an internal French matter between colonies which from 1910 are both part of French Equatorial Africa. On the dissolution of French Equatorial Africa, Gabon become independent in 1960.

The first president of the new republic, Léon…