Portugal have 6 former colonies in the African continente: Cabo Verde, São Tomé e Príncepe, Moçambique, Guiné-Bissau, Angola, and Guiné Equatorial.
The Portuguese colonization defined the current borders and sizes of these african territories.
The Portuguese colonization defined the current borders and sizes of these african territories.
The Portuguese brought to the colonies:
- Infrastructures, like: houses, sanitation, roads, hospitals, toilet, etc.
- Technology, as: electricity, agricultural techniques and tools, transportation, communication, shampoo, soap, etc.
- Culture: common language, traditions, new plants and fruits, cooking techniques, cattle raising, etc.
- but also, Slavery and Diseases.
From the Portuguese presence, remains, until today, the Portuguese language, the Roman Catholic religion, the Portuguese architecture and some influence in the culture and gastronomy.
Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)
When the Portuguese navigator Diogo Gomes discovered the first island of Cabo Verde, in 1456, it was inhabited.
So, the colonizers brought people from Madeira and slave african workforce to work in cotton and cane sugar plantations.
In the following years, more 9 islands were discovered, in the surroundings.
In the following years, more 9 islands were discovered, in the surroundings.
Cabo Verde that means Green Cape, in portuguese, was an important point for the traveling by sea to India and the Atlantic port for the slave trade.
After 519 years under Portuguese dominance, this colony, received its independence.
Cidade Velha, in Santiago island, has the oldest church in Africa, built, in 1498, by the Portuguese colonizers.
Cape Verde is rich in salt, pozzolana and limestone.
Cidade Velha, in Santiago island, has the oldest church in Africa, built, in 1498, by the Portuguese colonizers.
Cape Verde is rich in salt, pozzolana and limestone.
São Tomé e Príncipe (Sao Tome and Principe)
Portuguese navigators arrived to these two inhabited islands, in 1470. In 1560, it became the world's leader in the production of sugar cane. That later was bypassed by another Portuguese colony - Brasil.
The colonizers also introduced the production of coffee and cacao, and between 1895 and 1905 became the world's biggest exporter of cacao.
After the slavery was abolished by Portugal, was formed a communist movement for the liberation of São Tomé e Príncepe. And, with the end of the dictatorship in Portugal, the independence was conceded.
São Tomé e Príncipe means in portuguese Saint Tomé and prince.
The government of São Tomé e Principe has been exploring their petroleum.
Angola
Diogo Cão reached this land in 1482, XV century. When the Portuguese realised the land was under dominance of the Congo's king, they made an alliance with him.Luanda, today's Angola capital, was the outpost for the slave trade.
The slavery was abolished, by the King D. Luis I, in 1869.
Coffee, corn and sugar cane plantations was implemented for exportation purposes.
The portuguese also started the iron mining and petroleum drilling. That motivated many portuguese to immigrate to Angola, to work.
In 1945, lands, in the rural areas, were taken from the african indigenous, for agricultural purposes, mainly coffee production. That was one of the factors that triggered the violent rebellion, in 1965, called the war for independence. This war just ended in 1974.
After the Portuguese revolution of 1975, during which Portugal made the transition from dictatorship to democracy, Angola received its independence.
The different african guerrillas couldn't come to an agreement about the future governor and started a civil war that lasted 27 years, till 2002. The portuguese population were the first victims and had to flee from the country. This war was military supported by the Soviet Union, Cuba, China, USA and South Africa.
Angola suffered terribly by this long war. Many social institutions were destroyed, like hospitals, schools, electricity, others.
Angola is rich in agriculture, petroleum reserves, diamonds, phosphates, iron ore, bauxite, copper, gold, silver, uranium, feldspar and many more.
Moçambique (Mozambique)
Located in the coast of the south of Africa, this land, was under arab commercial dominance, when the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived, in 1497.
Named by the Portuguese, Moçambique, was an important commercial trading point.
During the First World War, Germany attacked the north of Mozambique and the south of Angola. But, just declared war to Portugal, in March of 1916. The portuguese were defeated and Germany invaded part of Mozambique.
When the war ended in Europe, the germans surrendered.
In 1964, a mozambican guerrilla rebelled against Portugal, starting the 10 years of colonial war.
After its independence, in 1975, the different mozambican political parties couldn't reach a political agreement and started a violent civil war, with the military support (weaponry) received from the communists Cuba and Soviet Union.
This war just finished 15 years later with the establishment of the democracy.
However, others political disagreements triggered more civil wars later.
Moçambique is rich in agriculture, zircon, tantalum, gold, precious and semi-precious stones, coal, natural gas, ilmenite, rutile, aluminium, limestone, tourmaline, beryl, marble and others.
Guiné-Bissau (Guinea- Bissau)
This was one of the first african lands to be colonized by Portugal. Alvaro Fernandes arrives to this coast, in 1446.
Soon, the Portuguese started to make trade of slaves, gold ivory and spices.
In 1915, the Portuguese started to implement agriculture in the rural areas.
In 1956, the african Almicar Cabral founds a African Party for the liberation of Guiné-Bissau and starts the fight for independence.
During the year of 1973, these party declares Guiné-Bissau independence. And, in, 1974, after the dictatorship falls, in Portugal, the Portuguese government recognises Guiné's independence.
With the independence came several civil wars for the power of Guiné-Bissau, that severely destroyed the country and its infraestructures.
Guiné-Bissau is rich in agriculture, phosphates, granite, clay, bauxite, petroleum, and others.
Guiné Equatorial (Equatorial Guinea)
The Portuguese explorer, Fernão do Pó, was the first european to discover this land ( Bioko), in 1471, on his way to India.
He named it Formosa (Beautiful), but, in 1474, it was renamed by his name - Fernando Poo.
It was a Portuguese colony for 300 years, till, Portugal ceded it to Spain, in 1778, in exchange for land in South of America (Treaty of Pardo).
This land is rich in petroleum, gold, timber, manganese and uranium.
Unlike, North America, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand and other colonies, where the colonisation was made by elimination of the native indigenous population, to repopulate it with the white people from the coloniser country (the ones that later rebelled for independency), this was not the case of the Portuguese african colonies. The white population was the minority.
In Portugal, there's a big african population (around 1 million) from all the ex-colonies.
The african music and dances of the ex-colonies are very popular in Portugal, like Kizomba and Kuduro.
The Portuguese ex-colonies are richer in natural resources than Portugal, but its population live in extreme poverty and hunger.
Unfortunately, their nation's wealth is administrated by a small and corrupted group of people.
Picture Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-YQzhCmu-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxCO_vb4nHo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-YQzhCmu-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxCO_vb4nHo
