The following are short descriptions of the major places which have contributed to the shaping of Global African history. These encyclopedia entries serve as a starting point for much more inclusive descriptions and discussions that appear in other sources. For additional information please consult the print or website sources cited in the entry.
Gustavia is the capital and main seaport of the island of Saint Barthélemy, also known as “St. Bart’s.” The Caribbean island is said to have been discovered by explorer Christopher Columbus in 1493, who named it after his brother Bartolomeo. The Taino Indians were the … Read MoreGustavia, Saint Barthélemy (1648- )
Yamoussoukro is currently the de jure capital of the nation of Cote d’Ivoire. The city had a population of 242,744 people in 2010. Yamoussoukro is located 274 km, or 170 miles, from the country’s de facto capital, Abidjan, where most of the government offices and … Read MoreYamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire (1909- )
The island of Zanzibar, now a part of Tanzania, was a nineteenth century East African trading empire that fell under the domination of the British who controlled it until the mid-twentieth century. Zanzibar is the leading producer of cloves in the world, which earned it … Read MoreSultanate of Zanzibar (1856–1964)
In May 2006 the world’s first underwater park, Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, opened for public viewing. Located in Molinere Bay, off the west coast of the Caribbean island of Grenada, Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park covers an area of approximately 2,000 square miles and is home to 65 … Read MoreMolinere Underwater Sculpture Park (2006- )
Santo Domingo de Guzman, the capital of the Dominican Republic and the cultural, financial, and industrial center of the nation, was founded in 1496 by Bartholomew Columbus, the younger brother of Christopher Columbus. Situated on the southeastern coast of the island of Hispaniola (which The … Read MoreSanto Domingo de Guzman, The Dominican Republic (1496- )
Paramaribo is the largest city, chief port, and capital of Suriname, a country located on the north coast of South America and the continent’s smallest nation. The city had a population of 250,000 people in 2014 who comprised about half the population of the entire … Read MoreParamaribo, Suriname (1630- )
Bangui is the capital and largest city of the landlocked nation of the Central African Republic. The city had a population of 750,000 people in 2012 which is about 16% of the nation’s 4.6 million people. Bangui spans an area covering 67 square km, or … Read MoreBangui, Central African Republic (1889- )
Banjul is the third largest city and capital of Gambia, the smallest nation on the African continent. In 2003 the city had a population of 357,238 people or about 19% Gambia’s total population of 1.89 million people. The city’s name is from a local Mandinka … Read MoreBanjul, Gambia (1816- )
St. John’s (population 22,342) is the capital of the Eastern Caribbean twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua, the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands, covers 108 square miles. Barbuda, a flat coral island with an area of only 68 square miles, lies approximately 30 … Read MoreSt. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda (1632- )
Malabo is located on the northern coast of Bioko Island and serves as the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Malabo is the largest of five islands and is the second largest city in Equatorial Guinea after Bata. Indigenous African peoples in the territory of Equatorial Guinea … Read MoreMalabo, Equatorial Guinea (1827- )
