The Guinea–Guinea-Bissau border is 421 km (262 m) in length and runs from the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

in the south-west to the tripoint with

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

in the north-east.

Description

The border starts in the southwest at the Atlantic coast near the mouth the Cajet/Inxanche river, just north of Guinea's Tristao Island, and then proceeds overland in a north-easterly direction. Just south of the town of Madina do Boe (Guinea-Bissau) the border reaches a river; the boundary then follows this and several others rivers, such as the Feline and Senta. Near the vicinity of the Guinean town of Bouto Dougaka the border proceeds overland in a northwards directions up to the Ouale river; the border then follows the Ouale and Corubal River in a C-shape, before proceeding overland northwards up to the tripoint with Senegal.

History

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

began exploring the coastal areas of modern Guinea-Bissau in the mid-1400s;

Bissau Bissau () is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Guinea-Bissau. it had a population of 492,004. Bissau is located on the Geba River estuary, off the Atlantic Ocean, and is Guinea-Bissau's largest city, major port, its administr ...

was founded in 1765 and became the centre of the Portuguese trade in slaves, gold and ivory in a vaguely defined area along the coast referred to as Portuguese Guinea.

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

had also taken an interest in the region, settling in the region of modern Senegal in the 17th century and later annexing the coast of what is now Guinea in the late 19th century, creating the Rivières du Sud colony.Jean Suret-Canele (1971) ''French Colonialism in Tropical Africa 1900-1945'' Trans. Pica Press, pp 87-88. The area was renamed French Guinea 1893, and was later included within

French West Africa French West Africa (, ) was a federation of eight French colonial empires#Second French colonial empire, French colonial territories in West Africa: Colonial Mauritania, Mauritania, French Senegal, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guin ...

. The 1880s saw an intense competition between the European powers for territories in Africa, a process known as the

Scramble for Africa The Scramble for Africa was the invasion, conquest, and colonialism, colonisation of most of Africa by seven Western European powers driven by the Second Industrial Revolution during the late 19th century and early 20th century in the era of ...

. The process culminated in the Berlin Conference of 1884, in which the European nations concerned agreed upon their respective territorial claims and the rules of engagements going forward. As a result, France and Portugal signed a treaty on 12 May 1886 delimiting a border between their West African colonies (i.e. the current Guinea-Bissau–Senegal border and Guinea-Guinea Bissau border). A joint Franco-Portuguese commission than demarcated the boundary on the ground during the period 1900–05, marking it with 184 numbered pillars (pillars 1-58 covered the French-Guinea-Portuguese Guinea boundary). This final boundary was then approved by an exchange of notes in 1905–06. French Guinea gained independence from France in 1958 (as Guinea), followed by Portuguese Guinea (as Guinea-Bissau) in 1974 after a prolonged war against Portuguese forces, and the border then became an international one between two sovereign states.

Settlements near the border

Guinea

* Djarga * Tanene * Sansalé * Gobije * Dabalare * Kambera * Bouto Dougaka * Foulamory * Kitiara * Kandika

Guinea-Bissau

* Cameconde * Ganture * Sangonha * Contabane * Madina Dongo * Colebe * Vendu Leidi * Quissem * Buruntuma

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guinea-Guinea-Bissau border Borders of Guinea Borders of Guinea-Bissau International borders