Bioko (spelled also Bioco) is an island off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea, part of Equatorial Guinea. The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( República de Guinea Ecuatorial,) is a country in Central Africa. In colonial times it was known as Fernando Pó or Fernando Poo, and under the Africanization policy of dictator Masie Nguema Biyogo it was renamed Masie Ngueme Biyogo Island (sp. Geographical renaming is the act of changing the name of a geographical feature or area Africanization (lit making something African or Africanized has been applied in various contexts notably in naming and in the composition of staff Francisco Macías Nguema (1 January 1924 as Mez-m Ngueme – September 29 1979 was the first President of Equatorial Guinea, from 1968 until his overthrow Francisco Macías Biogo); on his overthrow in 1979 it was named Bioko. It is known as Otcho to the Bubi people. Also known as the Bantu Speaking Bube, the Bubi People are an African Ethnic group, members of the Bantu group who are indigenous to
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Geography
Bioko has a total area of 2,017 square kilometers. It is 70 km long from NNE to SSW and about 32 km across. It is volcanic and very mountainous with highest peak Pico Basile (3012 m) and in this way resembles neighboring islands such as São Tomé and Príncipe. Pico Basilé (formerly Pico de Santa Isabel) is the highest mountain on the island of Bioko, which is part of Equatorial Guinea. São Tomé ( Population 56166 in 2005) is the Capital city of São Tomé and Príncipe and is by far that nation's largest town Príncipe is the smaller of the two major islands of São Tomé and Príncipe lying off the west coast of Africa Like them it lies on the Cameroon Line. The Cameroon line is a Geologic fault or Rift zone that extends along the border region of eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon, from Mount
Demographics
The island has a population of 130,000 inhabitants most of whom belong to the Bubi tribe. Also known as the Bantu Speaking Bube, the Bubi People are an African Ethnic group, members of the Bantu group who are indigenous to The rest of the population are Fernandinos, Spaniards and immigrants from Rio Muni, Nigeria and Cameroon. Fernandinos are creole, multi-ethnic or multi-race groups of Equatorial Guinea and former Spanish Guinea with distinct social cultural and linguistic histories Río Muni (called Mbini in Fang) is the Continental Region of Equatorial Guinea, and comprises the mainland geographical region covering Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa.
History
The island was inhabited in the middle of the first millennium C. E. by Bantu tribes from the mainland which formed the ethnic group Bubi. Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people Also known as the Bantu Speaking Bube, the Bubi People are an African Ethnic group, members of the Bantu group who are indigenous to The first European discovery of the island was made in 1472, by the Portuguese navigator Fernão do Pó. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Fernão do Pó (fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ du ˈpɔ also Fernão Pó, Fernando Pó, Fernando Poo ( 15th century) was a Portuguese navigator It was at first named Formosa Flora ('Beautiful Flower'), but in 1494 was renamed for its discoverer (Fernando Pó or Fernando Poo). Unlike other islands in the area, Bioko had an indigenous (African) population. Still a distinct ethnic group on the island today, these indigenous people, the Bubi, speak a Bantu language; the island was probably inhabited by this or other Bantu-speaking groups since before the 7th century BC. Also known as the Bantu Speaking Bube, the Bubi People are an African Ethnic group, members of the Bantu group who are indigenous to Bantu may refer to Bantu expansion, a series of migrations of Bantu speakers Bantu languages Bantu people The 7th century BC started the first day of 700 BC and ended the last day of 601 BC.
In 1642 the Dutch Indian Company established its trade bases on the island without Portuguese consent, temporarily centralizing from there the trade of slaves in the Gulf of Guinea, although the Portuguese appeared once again on the island in 1648, replacing the Dutch Company by one of their own dedicated to the same trade and established in its neighbour island Corisco. Corisco, or Mandj, is a small Island of Equatorial Guinea, located 29 km southwest of the Rio Muni estuary that defines the border Parallel with this establishment began the slow process of establishing the core of a new kingdom on the island formed by Bubi clans, especially after the activity of some local chiefs like Molombo (approx. 1700–1760) during a period of harsh enslavement in the region, a situation that forced local clans to abandon their coastal settlements and settle in the safer interior of the island.
Portugal ceded to Spain Fernando Poo, Annobón and the Guinea coast (modern Equatorial Guinea) in 1778, with the Treaty of El Pardo, signed between Queen Mary II of Portugal and King Charles III of Spain, in exchange for territory in the American continent. Limbe or Limbé may refer to Limbe Cameroon Limbe Malawi Limbé Nord, in Haiti The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Annobón (or Annabon or Anabon; from Ano bom Portuguese for Good Year) also known as Pagalu or Pigalu, is an The Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( República de Guinea Ecuatorial,) is a country in Central Africa. Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or The Treaty of El Pardo was signed on March 11, 1778 between Queen Maria I of Portugal and King Charles III of Spain. Maria II ( April 4, 1819 &ndash November 15, 1853) was Queen of Portugal from 1826 to 1853 Charles III ( January 20, 1716 – December 14, 1788) was King of Spain 1700–88 (as Carlos III King of Naples and Spain then mounted an expedition to Fernando Poo, led by the Conde de Argelejos and stayed for four months. In October 1778 Spain installed a governor on the island that stayed till 1780 when the Spanish mission left the island.
Molambo was succeeded by another local chief, Lorite (1760-1810) who was succeeded by Lopoa (1810-1842). From 1827 to 1843 the British leased bases at Port Clarence (modern Malabo) and San Carlos for their anti-slavery patrols. Malabo (ˈmæləboʊ is the Capital and largest city of Equatorial Guinea, located on the northern coast of Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Pó on the As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Juan José Lerena in March 1843 put the Spanish flag in Malabo, ending British influence on the island. Juan José Lerena y Barry (1796—1863 was a Spanish naval captain who attempted to establish Spanish control over the Gulf of Guinea during the mid-nineteenth century Madabita (1842-1860) and Sepoko (1860-1875) were principal local chiefs during reestablishment of Spanish rule on the island. This period was also marked by immigration of several hundred Afro-Cubans as well as tens of Spanish scholars and politicians.
In 1923-30 the League of Nations investigated the shipment of migrant labour between Liberia and the Spanish island colony of Fernando Po. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 Although the League concentrated its attention on Liberia, a closer examination reveals labour abuse as very much the product of conditions on Fernando Po itself. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, black planters on the island shifted from palm oil trading to cocoa cultivation. Dependence on migrant labour and increasing competition from Europeans resulted in economic crisis in the first years of the twentieth century, with detention of labour and the nonpayment of contracts as the outcome. The eventual investigation of the trade was the product of a desire to conserve Liberian labour for use on the African mainland, rather than an attempt to relieve its abuse.
The island was used as a base for flights into Biafra during the Nigerian civil war. The Republic of Biafra was a Secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria. The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967 &ndash 13 January 1970 was a political conflict caused by the attempted Secession
Today
Malabo is the capital city of Equatorial Guinea and the largest city on the island. The Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( República de Guinea Ecuatorial,) is a country in Central Africa. The island is mostly covered by tropical rainforest. The EG LNG plant, west of Malabo, produces natural gas for shipping. EG LNG is a LNG company that operates a Liquid natural gas terminal and plant in Malabo, Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. A rectangular transport route links the four main cities – Malabo, Luba, Baney and Riaba. Malabo (ˈmæləboʊ is the Capital and largest city of Equatorial Guinea, located on the northern coast of Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Pó on the Luba is the second largest town of Bioko in Equatorial Guinea, having a population of around 7000 people Baney is a town in Equatorial Guinea. It is located in Bioko Norte Province and has a (2005 est Riaba is a town in Equatorial Guinea. It is located in Bioko Sur Province and has a (2005 est
Postal history
In popular culture
- Fernando Poo (without the accent) is the site of a fictional coup d'état and nuclear crisis in Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea's The Illuminatus! Trilogy, where it is an integral part of the first book (The Eye in the Pyramid). This is a survey of the Postage stamps and Postal history of Fernando Poo, which is now known as Bioko, and is part of Equatorial Guinea Robert Anton Wilson or RAW (born Robert Edward Wilson, January 18, 1932 &ndash January 11, 2007) was an American Robert Joseph Shea ( February 14, 1933 - March 10, 1994) was a magazine editor columnist and novelist The Illuminatus! Trilogy is a series of three novels written by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson purportedly between 1969 and 1971 The second book (The Golden Apple) reveals that Fernando Poo is one of the last surviving remants of the sunken continent of Atlantis. Atlantis (in Greek,, "island of Atlas " is the name of a Legendary Island, first mentioned in Plato 's dialogues WIlson also uses the motif in his book The Sex Magicians
- The famous Blind Traveler, James Holman, stayed at Fernando Po for several months, where he was one of just a handful to escape death from malaria. James Holman ( October 15, 1786 &ndash July 29, 1857) known as the "Blind Traveler" was a British adventurer author and social observer
- For about 4 years, Richard Francis Burton was the British consul in Fernando Po
See also
References
- Room, Adrian (1994). Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS (19 March 1821 &ndash 20 October 1890 was an English Explorer, Translator, writer Consul (abbrev cos; Latin plural consules) was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire Annobón (or Annabon or Anabon; from Ano bom Portuguese for Good Year) also known as Pagalu or Pigalu, is an The Bight of Bonny (also known as the Bight of Biafra) is a bight off the West African coast in the easternmost part (beyond the Bight of Benin to the West The Bight of Bonny (also known as the Bight of Biafra) is a bight off the West African coast in the easternmost part (beyond the Bight of Benin to the West Bioko Norte Province is the most populated province of Equatorial Guinea. Bioko Sur Province is a province of Equatorial Guinea. Its capital is Luba. The Cameroon line is a Geologic fault or Rift zone that extends along the border region of eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon, from Mount The Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( República de Guinea Ecuatorial,) is a country in Central Africa. Emancipado was a term used for an African descended social-political demographic within the population of Spanish Guinea (modern day Equatorial Guinea) Fernandinos are creole, multi-ethnic or multi-race groups of Equatorial Guinea and former Spanish Guinea with distinct social cultural and linguistic histories Fernão do Pó (fɨɾˈnɐ̃ũ du ˈpɔ also Fernão Pó, Fernando Pó, Fernando Poo ( 15th century) was a Portuguese navigator The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa. The Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island (Movimiento para la Auto-determinación de la Isla de Bioko is a proscribed political organization in Equatorial Guinea São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is an Island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial African placenames. Jefferson, NC (USA): McFarland. ISBN 0-89950-943-6
- Sundiata, Ibrahim K. (1990). Equatorial Guinea: Colonialism, State Terror, and the Search for Stability. Boulder, CO (USA): Westview Press. ISBN 0-8133-0429-6
External links
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