Portuguese Africans

[6] In particular, the Portuguese fort in Ouidah (São João Baptista de Ajudá) is still standing at was transformed into a history museum by the African country's government.

[14][15][16] Due to the political instability and the death of two Portuguese nationals in 2016,[17][18][19] the community has decreased to 5 people only, according to data released in the occasion of the 2022 coup.

[20][21] Despite the recent issues and the fact that Portugal doesn't have an official representation in Ouagadougou,[22] relations, both diplomatic – the Portuguese chargé d'affaires visited Burkina Faso in 2023 -[23][24] and cultural are strengthening.

The river was their exploratory limit before turning back (voltar); on the other hand, the name could also refer to the numerous meanders that characterize a good part of the course water.

[34] Relations between Portugal and Gambia, despite not being particularly significant today, date back to the XV century; in fact, even the country's name comes from the Portuguese word for trade, cambio.

In 1588, António, Prior of Crato, asserting a claim to the Portuguese throne, granted London and Devon merchants the exclusive trading rights between the Rivers Senegal and Gambia.

Despite dispatching numerous ships to the region, these merchants, deterred by Portuguese animosity, refrained from venturing south beyond Joal, situated 30 miles north of the river mouth.

[44][45][46] Although relations aren't strong today – despite a recent increase in trade[47][48]- the Portuguese were the first Europeans arriving in Ghana, which they called "Costa de Ouro" or "Gold Coast".

In particular, the most notable element of Portuguese heritage in Ghana is Elmina Castle, a fort built in 1482 as Castelo de São Jorge da Mina.

Being precisely a crucial center for the gold trade, interactions between the few Portuguese residents and the local villagers were prohibited to prevent illicit commerce or smuggling.

The introduction of foreign crops globalized agriculture, and Portuguese remained the dominant language of exchange along the Gulf Coast even after other European powers arrived post-1642 cession.

[75][76] Starting from 2020, visits of ambassadors and institutional figures also intensified, despite some minor diplomatic incidents, namely involving the Ivorian embassy in Lisbon.

[77][78][79][80][81][82][83] In addition, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Portugal - Ivory Coast (CCIPCM) was created, so as to facilitate Portuguese business in the country[84][85] and cooperation agreements between cities of Viseu and Douro districts and Ivorian towns were signed.

[99][100] It is nonetheless interesting to point out that relations between the two countries date from a long time, with Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra establishing contacts with people of the land later known as "Liberia" as early as 1461.

[106][107][108][109] In 2012, around 20 Portuguese citizens were rescued from Bamako due to the political crisis in the African country and taken to Lisbon through a TAP Air Portugal charter flight.

[144][145][146][147] Despite relations between Nouakchott and Lisbon aren't significant (although a visit of the Portuguese chargé d'affaires to Mauritania in 2023 is set to deepen bilateral ties in the near future).

[152][153][154][155] Despite today's relations aren't strong, it is worth noting that the Portuguese extensively explored the country's coast starting in the XV century.

Arguin – now part of the Banc d'Arguin National Park – is also the place in which in July 1816, the French frigate Méduse, bound for Senegal, wrecked.

[163][164][165][166][167] Historically, Agadez, once an important center for the gold trade, was penalized by the shift of commercial traffic from the Sahara to the coastal ports controlled by the Portuguese; its population decreased, from 30,000 inhabitants in 1450 to less than 3000 at the beginning of the 20th century.

[172][173] Despite the big economic potential of Nigeria, political instability and insecurity dampen the attractiveness of the country as a place to settle for Portuguese nationals.

[184] Moreover, in 2022 Muhammadu Buhari announced the establishment of a dedicated Portugal Working Group, with the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment appointed as its head.

This group aims to address specific concerns raised by investors and enhance the trade relationship between Nigeria and Portugal, that has recently reached 1 billion $ per year for the first time.

[188][189] Local merchants provided them with slaves, escalating conflicts among the ethnic groups in the region and disrupting older trade patterns through the Trans-Saharan route.

In 1481, emissaries from the King of Portugal visited the court of the Oba of Benin, with whom they maintained close ties for a period, enjoying a commercial monopoly until the end of the 16th century.

[200][201] In Senegal, where a Portuguese-based creole is widely spoken in Ziguinchor and wider Casamance region, there were 386 Portuguese people registered as electors in 2022.

In fact, even the country's name – Sierra Leone – comes from the Portuguese Serra Lyoa (Lioness Mountain) because of the oddly shaped formation in the hills surrounding what is now Freetown Harbour.

[228] Nonetheless, the relations between the two countries are expanding, especially in business; for instance, in 2016 there was a diplomatic visit in Lisbon by Togolese foreign minister Robert Debussy,[229] in 2017 the direct flight Lisbon-Lomé was established[230] and in 2018 Lomé hosted the "Open Day Portugal" event.

[244][245][246] In fact, it is still possible to find some traces the Portuguese left behind them, notably Catholicism (the religion of 25% of the country's population[247]), some vocabulary (e.g. abounêké from "boneca" or "doll" or kopò from "copo" or "glass" or also dò from "dor" or "pain") and toponyms (e.g. Porto Seguro).

Massawa was also the stage for the 1541 landing of troops by Cristóvão da Gama in the military campaign that would eventually defeat the Adal Sultanate in the final battle of Wayna Daga in 1543.

[275] The Portuguese came to the coast of the Horn of Africa in the XVI century in search for Prester John (Preste João), who was thought as a key ally for attacking Mecca and thus for ensuring the control the Red Sea.