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 oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

in the south-west to the tripoint with

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...

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 Boe (full name Madina do Boe) is a settlement in the southeastern Gabú Region of Guinea-Bissau. The population is mostly of poor Fulani speaking herders. Although geologically rich in bauxite, the mineral deposits have not been exploited to any ...

(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 The Corubal, also known as the Rio Corubal or Tomine, is a river of West Africa, a major tributary of the Geba River. For a short distance, it forms the international border between Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. It has a length of approximately . H ...

in a C-shape, before proceeding overland northwards up to the tripoint with Senegal.

History

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

began exploring the coastal areas of modern Guinea-Bissau in the mid-1400s; Bissau 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 Portuguese Guinea ( pt, Guiné), called the Overseas Province of Guinea from 1951 until 1972 and then State of Guinea from 1972 until 1974, was a West African colony of Portugal from 1588 until 10 September 1974, when it gained independence as Gu ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

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 Rivières du Sud (English: ''Southern Rivers'') was a French colonial division in West Africa, roughly corresponding to modern coastal sections of Guinea. While the designation was used from the 18th to 20th century, the administrative division o ...

colony.Jean Suret-Canele (1971) ''French Colonialism in Tropical Africa 1900-1945'' Trans. Pica Press, pp 87-88. The area was renamed

French Guinea French Guinea (french: Guinée française) was a French colonial possession in West Africa. Its borders, while changed over time, were in 1958 those of the current independent nation of Guinea. French Guinea was established by France in 1891, ...

1893, and was later included within French West Africa. The 1880s saw an intense competition between the European powers for territories in Africa, a process known as the Scramble for Africa. The process culminated in the

Berlin Conference The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, also known as the Congo Conference (, ) or West Africa Conference (, ), regulated European colonisation and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period and coincided with Germany's sudden emergenc ...

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