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Bight of Biafra

July 03, 2023

The Bight of Biafra (known as the Bight of Bonny in Nigeria) is a bight off the west-central African coast, in the easternmost part of the Gulf of Guinea.

Bight of Biafra
Gulf of Guinea map showing the Bight of Biafra.
Bight of Biafra
Coordinates2°50′N 8°0′E / 2.833°N 8.000°E / 2.833; 8.000
Native nameGolfo de Biafra (Portuguese)
River sourcesNiger
Ocean/sea sourcesGulf of Guinea
Atlantic Ocean
Basin countriesNigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
Max. length300 km (190 mi)
Max. width600 km (370 mi)
IslandsBioko

Geography

The Bight of Biafra, or Mafra (named after the town Mafra in southern Portugal), between Capes Formosa and Lopez, is the most eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea; it contains the islands Bioko [Equatorial Guinea], São Tomé and Príncipe. The name Biafra – as indicating the country – fell into disuse in the later part of the 19th century [1]

 
Early map of Africa depicting a region named Biafra in present day Cameroon

A 1710 map indicates that the region known as "Biafra" (Biafra) was located in present-day Cameroon.

The Bight of Biafra extends east from the River Delta of the Niger in the north until it reaches Cape Lopez in Gabon.[2] Besides the Niger River, other rivers reaching the bay are the Cross River, Calabar River, Ndian, Wouri, Sanaga, Nyong River, Ntem, Mbia, Mbini, Muni and Komo River.

The main islands in the Bay are Bioko and Príncipe; other important islands are Ilhéu Bom Bom, Ilhéu Caroço, Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico. Countries located at the Bight of Biafra are Cameroon, the eastern region of Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko Island and Rio Muni), and Gabon[3]

History

The Bight of Biafra accounted for an estimated 10.7% of all enslaved people that were transported to the Americas between 1519-1700. Between 1701-1800, it accounted for an estimated 14.97%.[4] Those stolen from the Bight of Biafra include the Bamileke, Igbo, Tikar, Bakossi, Fang, Massa, Bubi and many more.[2][4] These captured Africans arrived in what would become the United States and were sold in Virginia, which held 60% of all slaves on the eastern coast. Virginia and surrounding colonies held 30,000 slaves.[5] Normally, enslaved people were cheaper when bought in Cameroon because they preferred to die rather than accept slavery.[6]

By the middle of the eighteenth century, Bonny had emerged as the major slave trading port on the Bight of Biafra outpacing the earlier dominant slave ports at Elem Kalabari (also known then as New Calabar) and Old Calabar. These 3 ports together accounted for over 90% of the slave trade emanating from the Bight of Biafra.[7][8]

Between 1525 and 1859, Britain accounted for over two-thirds of slaves exported from the Bight of Biafra to the New World.[9]

In 1777, Portugal transferred control of Fernando Po and Annobón to Spanish suzerainty thus introducing Spain into the early colonial history of the Bight of Biafra.[10]

In 1807, the United Kingdom made illegal the international trade in slaves, and the Royal Navy was deployed to forcibly prevent slavers from the United States, France, Spain, Portugal, Holland, West Africa and Arabia from plying their trade.[11]

On 30 June 1849, Britain established its military influence over the Bight of Biafra by building a naval base and consulate on the island of Fernando Po,[12] under the authority of the British Consuls of the Bight of Benin:[13]

On 6 August 1861, the Bight of Biafra and the neighboring Bight of Benin (under its own British consuls) became a united British consulate, again under British consuls:

  • 1861—December 1864 Richard Francis Burton
  • December 1864—1873 Charles Livingstone
  • 1873—1878 George Hartley
  • 1878—13 September 1879 David Hopkins
  • 13 September 1879—5 June 1885 Edward Hyde Hewett.

In 1967, the Eastern Region of Nigeria seceded from the Nigerian State and adopted the name of its coastline, the adjoining Bight of Biafra, becoming the newly independent Republic of Biafra. This independence was short-lived as the new state lost the ensuing Nigerian Civil War. In 1975, by decree, the Nigerian government changed the name of the Bight of Biafra to the Bight of Bonny.[14]

Slave traders

Pulsations

In 1962, Jack Oliver, a geologist at Columbia University, first noticed the earth had a "pulse" also known in geology lingo as a "microseism". This discovery was put on the shelves and re-examined briefly in 1980 by Gary Holcomb and then fully examined in 2005 by graduate student Greg Benson at the University of Colorado.[15]

Later results revealed that the earth pulses every 26 seconds, but nobody is exactly sure why. Theories range from waves hitting the continental shelf to volcanic activity.

By using triangulation, they were able to locate the source of the pulse in the Bight of Bonny.[16]

References

  1. ^ Hugh Chisholm; James Louis Garvin (1926). The Encyclopædia Britannica: a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature & general information, Volumes 11-12. The Encyclopædia Britannica Company, ltd., 1926. p. 696. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Biafra, Bight of." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Biafra, Bight of | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  4. ^ a b "NPS Ethnography: African American Heritage & Ethnography". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
  5. ^ Frey, Sylvia R. (1983). "Between Slavery and Freedom: Virginia Blacks in the American Revolution". The Journal of Southern History. 49 (3): 375–398. doi:10.2307/2208101. ISSN 0022-4642.
  6. ^ Nwokeji, G. Ugo; Eltis, David (2002). "Characteristics of Captives Leaving the Cameroons for the Americas, 1822-37". The Journal of African History. 43 (2): 191–210. ISSN 0021-8537.
  7. ^ Paul E. Lovejoy (10 October 2011). Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. Cambridge University Press, 2011. p. 58. ISBN 9781139502771. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  8. ^ Toyin Falola; Raphael Chijioke Njoku (26 September 2016). Igbo in the Atlantic World: African Origins and Diasporic Destinations. Indiana University Press, 2016. p. 83. ISBN 9780253022578. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  9. ^ Toyin Falola; Raphael Chijioke Njoku (26 September 2016). Igbo in the Atlantic World: African Origins and Diasporic Destinations. Indiana University Press, 2016. p. 83. ISBN 9780253022578. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  10. ^ I. K. Sundiata (1996). From Slaving to Neoslavery: The Bight of Biafra and Fernando Po in the Era of Abolition, 1827-1930. Univ of Wisconsin Press, 1996. p. 19. ISBN 9780299145101. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  11. ^ "African Slave Owners". BBC. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  12. ^ Stewart, John (1996). The British Empire: An Encyclopedia of the Crown's Holdings, 1493 Through 1995. McFarland & Company, 1996. p. 250. ISBN 9780786401772.
  13. ^ "Southern Nigeria Administrators".
  14. ^ University of Ibadan. Dept. of Sociology (1980). Nigerian Behavioral Sciences Journal, Volume 3, Issues 1-2. Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, 1980. p. 11. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  15. ^ "The Earth Is Pulsating Every 26 Seconds, and Seismologists Don't Agree Why". Discover Magazine. Retrieved 2021-02-23.
  16. ^ "Earth Keeps Pulsating Every 26 Seconds. No One Knows Why". finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2021-02-23.

External links

  • Worldstatesmen

July 03, 2023
bight, biafra, known, bight, bonny, nigeria, bight, west, central, african, coast, easternmost, part, gulf, guinea, gulf, guinea, showing, coordinates2, 000native, namegolfo, biafra, portuguese, river, sourcesnigerocean, sourcesgulf, guineaatlantic, oceanbasin. The Bight of Biafra known as the Bight of Bonny in Nigeria is a bight off the west central African coast in the easternmost part of the Gulf of Guinea Bight of BiafraGulf of Guinea map showing the Bight of Biafra Bight of BiafraCoordinates2 50 N 8 0 E 2 833 N 8 000 E 2 833 8 000Native nameGolfo de Biafra Portuguese River sourcesNigerOcean sea sourcesGulf of GuineaAtlantic OceanBasin countriesNigeria Cameroon Equatorial Guinea GabonMax length300 km 190 mi Max width600 km 370 mi IslandsBioko Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Slave traders 4 Pulsations 5 References 6 External linksGeography EditThe Bight of Biafra or Mafra named after the town Mafra in southern Portugal between Capes Formosa and Lopez is the most eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea it contains the islands Bioko Equatorial Guinea Sao Tome and Principe The name Biafra as indicating the country fell into disuse in the later part of the 19th century 1 Early map of Africa depicting a region named Biafra in present day CameroonA 1710 map indicates that the region known as Biafra Biafra was located in present day Cameroon The Bight of Biafra extends east from the River Delta of the Niger in the north until it reaches Cape Lopez in Gabon 2 Besides the Niger River other rivers reaching the bay are the Cross River Calabar River Ndian Wouri Sanaga Nyong River Ntem Mbia Mbini Muni and Komo River The main islands in the Bay are Bioko and Principe other important islands are Ilheu Bom Bom Ilheu Caroco Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico Countries located at the Bight of Biafra are Cameroon the eastern region of Nigeria Equatorial Guinea Bioko Island and Rio Muni and Gabon 3 History EditThe Bight of Biafra accounted for an estimated 10 7 of all enslaved people that were transported to the Americas between 1519 1700 Between 1701 1800 it accounted for an estimated 14 97 4 Those stolen from the Bight of Biafra include the Bamileke Igbo Tikar Bakossi Fang Massa Bubi and many more 2 4 These captured Africans arrived in what would become the United States and were sold in Virginia which held 60 of all slaves on the eastern coast Virginia and surrounding colonies held 30 000 slaves 5 Normally enslaved people were cheaper when bought in Cameroon because they preferred to die rather than accept slavery 6 By the middle of the eighteenth century Bonny had emerged as the major slave trading port on the Bight of Biafra outpacing the earlier dominant slave ports at Elem Kalabari also known then as New Calabar and Old Calabar These 3 ports together accounted for over 90 of the slave trade emanating from the Bight of Biafra 7 8 Between 1525 and 1859 Britain accounted for over two thirds of slaves exported from the Bight of Biafra to the New World 9 In 1777 Portugal transferred control of Fernando Po and Annobon to Spanish suzerainty thus introducing Spain into the early colonial history of the Bight of Biafra 10 In 1807 the United Kingdom made illegal the international trade in slaves and the Royal Navy was deployed to forcibly prevent slavers from the United States France Spain Portugal Holland West Africa and Arabia from plying their trade 11 On 30 June 1849 Britain established its military influence over the Bight of Biafra by building a naval base and consulate on the island of Fernando Po 12 under the authority of the British Consuls of the Bight of Benin 13 May 1852 1853 Louis Fraser 1853 April 1859 Benjamin Campbell April 1859 1860 George Brand 1860 January 1861 Henry Hand January May 1861 Henry Grant Foote May 6 August 1861 William McCoskry acting On 6 August 1861 the Bight of Biafra and the neighboring Bight of Benin under its own British consuls became a united British consulate again under British consuls 1861 December 1864 Richard Francis Burton December 1864 1873 Charles Livingstone 1873 1878 George Hartley 1878 13 September 1879 David Hopkins 13 September 1879 5 June 1885 Edward Hyde Hewett In 1967 the Eastern Region of Nigeria seceded from the Nigerian State and adopted the name of its coastline the adjoining Bight of Biafra becoming the newly independent Republic of Biafra This independence was short lived as the new state lost the ensuing Nigerian Civil War In 1975 by decree the Nigerian government changed the name of the Bight of Biafra to the Bight of Bonny 14 Slave traders EditDaniel Backhouse George Case William Boats William Davenport John Shaw Samuel ShawPulsations EditIn 1962 Jack Oliver a geologist at Columbia University first noticed the earth had a pulse also known in geology lingo as a microseism This discovery was put on the shelves and re examined briefly in 1980 by Gary Holcomb and then fully examined in 2005 by graduate student Greg Benson at the University of Colorado 15 Later results revealed that the earth pulses every 26 seconds but nobody is exactly sure why Theories range from waves hitting the continental shelf to volcanic activity By using triangulation they were able to locate the source of the pulse in the Bight of Bonny 16 References Edit Hugh Chisholm James Louis Garvin 1926 The Encyclopaedia Britannica a dictionary of arts sciences literature amp general information Volumes 11 12 The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company ltd 1926 p 696 Retrieved 10 July 2017 a b Biafra Bight of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Library Edition Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc 2013 Retrieved 2 November 2013 Biafra Bight of Encyclopedia com www encyclopedia com Retrieved 2022 12 02 a b NPS Ethnography African American Heritage amp Ethnography www nps gov Retrieved 2023 03 14 Frey Sylvia R 1983 Between Slavery and Freedom Virginia Blacks in the American Revolution The Journal of Southern History 49 3 375 398 doi 10 2307 2208101 ISSN 0022 4642 Nwokeji G Ugo Eltis David 2002 Characteristics of Captives Leaving the Cameroons for the Americas 1822 37 The Journal of African History 43 2 191 210 ISSN 0021 8537 Paul E Lovejoy 10 October 2011 Transformations in Slavery A History of Slavery in Africa Cambridge University Press 2011 p 58 ISBN 9781139502771 Retrieved 11 July 2017 Toyin Falola Raphael Chijioke Njoku 26 September 2016 Igbo in the Atlantic World African Origins and Diasporic Destinations Indiana University Press 2016 p 83 ISBN 9780253022578 Retrieved 11 July 2017 Toyin Falola Raphael Chijioke Njoku 26 September 2016 Igbo in the Atlantic World African Origins and Diasporic Destinations Indiana University Press 2016 p 83 ISBN 9780253022578 Retrieved 11 July 2017 I K Sundiata 1996 From Slaving to Neoslavery The Bight of Biafra and Fernando Po in the Era of Abolition 1827 1930 Univ of Wisconsin Press 1996 p 19 ISBN 9780299145101 Retrieved 11 July 2017 African Slave Owners BBC Retrieved 4 December 2011 Stewart John 1996 The British Empire An Encyclopedia of the Crown s Holdings 1493 Through 1995 McFarland amp Company 1996 p 250 ISBN 9780786401772 Southern Nigeria Administrators University of Ibadan Dept of Sociology 1980 Nigerian Behavioral Sciences Journal Volume 3 Issues 1 2 Department of Sociology University of Ibadan 1980 p 11 Retrieved 11 July 2017 The Earth Is Pulsating Every 26 Seconds and Seismologists Don t Agree Why Discover Magazine Retrieved 2021 02 23 Earth Keeps Pulsating Every 26 Seconds No One Knows Why finance yahoo com Retrieved 2021 02 23 External links EditWorldstatesmen Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bight of Biafra amp oldid 1161917703, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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