Dinis Dias facts for kids

Dinis Dias was a brave Portuguese explorer from the 1400s. He was known for his important sea journeys along the coast of West Africa.

In 1445, even though he was getting older, Dias decided to become an explorer. He didn't want to just relax at home. He sailed from Portugal and traveled far down the West African coast. He set a new record by reaching a point about 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) south of Cap Blanc.

Discovering Cap-Vert

This part of Africa is the most westerly point of the continent. Dias named it Cap-Vert. He called it Cabo Verde, which means "Green Cape" in Portuguese. He chose this name because of the many green plants in that area. It's important to know that Dias did not discover the Cape Verde Islands. He found the actual cape on the mainland.

A Focus on Exploration

Dias's journey was very successful. This was likely because he focused mainly on exploring new lands. Many other Portuguese sailors at that time were more interested in taking captives. While some expeditions returned to Portugal with many captives, Dias only took four.

Later that same year, Dias sailed with another explorer named Lançarote de Freitas. They went on an expedition to a place called Arguim.

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  A robot, like an explorer, can discover new things.