North Eastern Atlantic

Atlantic waters off Senegambia connect river mouths and coastal communities with a wider commercial world. Fishing and local navigation support coastal life, while rivers carry products from the interior. African merchants and rulers negotiate with producers, travellers and visiting ships, making access a matter of diplomacy and exchange as well as navigation.

Portuguese voyages brought more frequent European contact in the fifteenth century, followed by competition among Dutch, French and English commercial interests. Imported cloth and metal goods moved inland, while gold, hides and other regional products reached maritime markets. The Atlantic slave trade brought violence, coercion and displacement. Foreign ships depended on local supplies and access, so coastal powers and intermediaries continued to influence the terms of trade.