Helping San Diego, California and beyond since 1997
Click here to subscribe and connect!
|
|
Helping San Diego, California and beyond since 1997
Click here to subscribe and connect!
|
|
||||
Click here and add this page to your favorites!
|
Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: FRA-GAE |
|
|
FRENCH GUINEA , a French colony in West Africa, formerly known as Rivieres du Sud. It is bounded W. by the Atlantic, N. by Portuguese Guinea and Senegal
Senegal
2,500,000. Physical Features.Though in one or two places rocky headlands jut into the sea, the coast is in general sandy, low, and much broken by rivers and deep estuaries, dotted with swampy islands, giving it the appearance of a vast delta. In about 9 30' N., off the promontory of Konakry, lie the Los Islands (q.v.), forming part of the colony. The coast plain, formed of alluvial deposits, is succeeded about 30 M. inland by a line of cliffs, the Susu Hills, which form the first step in the terrace-like formation of the interior, culminating in the massif of Futa Jallon, composed chiefly of Archean and granite rocks. While the coast lands are either densely forested or covered with savannas or park-like country, the Futa Jallon tableland is mainly covered with short herbage. This tableland, the hydro-graphic centre of \Vest Africa, is most elevated in its southern parts, where heights of 5000 ft. are found. Near the Sierra Leone frontier this high land is continued westward to within 20 M. of the sea, where Mount
Climate.The climate of the coast district is hot, moist and unhealthy, with a season of heavy rain lasting from May to November, during which time variable winds, calms and tornadoes succeed one another. The mean temperature in the dry season, when the " harmattan " is frequent, is 62 Fahr., in the wet season 86. Throughout the year the humidity of the air is very great. There is much rain in the Futa jallon highlands, but the Niger basin is some-what drier. In that region and in the highlands the climate is fairly healthy for Europeans and the heat somewhat less than on the coast. I Numerous remains of a stone age have been discovered, both on the coast and in the hinterland. See L. Desplagnes, " L'Archeologie prehistorique en Guinee francaise," in Butt. Soc. Geog. Comm. de Bordeaux. March 1907, and the authorities there cited. export. Among minor products are coffee, wax and ivory. Large herds of cattle and flocks of sheep are raised in Futa Jallon ; these are sent in considerable numbers to Sierra Leone, Liberia and French Congo. The trade in hides is also of considerable value. The chief
The principal imports are cotton
Communications.The railway from Konakry to the Niger at Kurussa, by the route chosen a distance of 342 m., was begun in 1900, and from 1902 has been built directly by the colony. The first section to Kindia, 93 m., was opened in 1904. The second section, to near Timbo in Futa Jallon, was completed in 1907, and the rails reached Kurussa in 1910. From Kurussa the Niger is navigable at high water all the way to Bamako in Upper Senegal, whence there is communication by rail and river with St Louis and Timbuktu. Besides the railway there is an excellent road, about 390 M. long, from Konakry to Kurussa, the road in its lower part being close to the Sierra Leone frontier, with the object of diverting trade from that British colony. Several other main roads have been built by the French, and there is a very complete telegraphic system, the lines having been connected with those of Senegal in 1899. History.T his part of the Guinea coast was made known by the Portuguese voyagers of the 15th century. In consequence, largely, of the dangers attending its navigation, it was not visited by the European traders of the 16th-18th centuries so frequently as other regions north and east, but in the Rio Pongo, at Matakong (a diminutive island near the mouth of the Forekaria), and elsewhere, slave traders established themselves, and ruins of the strongholds they built, and defended with cannon, still exist. When driven from other parts of Guinea the slavers made this difficult and little known coast one of their last resorts, and many barracoons were built in the late
interest
interest
governor of Senegal (1854), and under his direction vigorous efforts were made to consolidate French influence. Already in 1848 treaty relations had been entered into with the Nalu, and between that date and 1865 treaties of protectorate were signed with several of the coast tribes. During 1876-188o new treaties were concluded with the chief
Newfoundland
French Guinea was made a colony independent of Senegal in 1891, but in 1895 came under the supreme authority of the newly constituted governor -generalship of French West Africa. Guinea has a considerable measure of autonomy and a separate budget.It is administered by a lieutenant-governor, assisted by a nominated council. Revenue is raised principally from customs and a capitation tax, which has replaced a hut tax. The local budget for 1907 balanced at 205,000. Over the greater part of the country the native princes retain their sovereignty under the superintendence of French officials. The development of agriculture and education are objects of special
See M. Famechon, Notice sur la Guinee francaise (Paris, 1900) ; J. Chautard, Etude geophysique et geologique sur le Fouta-Djallon (Paris, 19o5); Andre Arcin, La Guinee francaise (Paris, 1906), a valuable monograph ; J. Machat, Les Rivieres du Sud et la Fouta-Diallon (Paris, 1906), another valuable work, containing exhaustive bibliographies. Consult also F. Rouget, La Guinee (Paris, 1908), an official publication, the annual Reports on French West Africa, published by the British Foreign Office, and the Carte de la Guinee francaise by A. Meunier in 4 sheets on the scale 1: 500,000 (Paris, 1902). End of Article: FRENCH GUINEA If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/FRA_GAE/FRENCH_GUINEA.html"> FRENCH GUINEA </a> |
|
|
(Previous) FRENCH CONGO |
(Next) FRENCH LANGUAGE |
Jesus Christ Saves Ministries, P.O. Box 70696, Pasadena, CA 91117JCSM is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Copyright © 1997-present. |
|
Sponsored Advertisements
