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Bissau

Capital of Guinea-BissauBissau is on the wide estuary of the Geba River, just in from the Atlantic Ocean, and the land around it is very low-lying. Ocean-going ships can sail up the river for about 80 km beyond the city.

Why it's the capital

The Portuguese founded Bissau as a trading post in 1687. In 1941 the capital of Portuguese Guinea moved here from Bolama, and when Portugal granted independence, Bissau became the capital of the new state.

Fun facts

  1. In the old Kingdom of Bissau, a new king was tied up and beaten at his coronation, so that he would know what punishment felt like.
  2. The name Bissau may come from Bôssassun, the name of a clan of the Papel people.
  3. The 18th-century Portuguese fort of São José da Amura holds the mausoleum of Amílcar Cabral, one of Africa's best-known anti-colonial leaders.

Finding it on the globe

On the West African coast, Bissau sits roughly halfway between Dakar to the north and Conakry to the south, at a wide river mouth.

Easy to mix up

Guinea-Bissau and its neighbour Guinea are different countries. Bissau is the capital of Guinea-Bissau, while Guinea's capital is Conakry.

Sources: Wikipedia: Bissau, Wikipedia: Amílcar Cabral