Fernão do Pó facts for kids

Fernão do Pó (sometimes called Fernão Pó or Fernando Pó) was a brave Portuguese explorer and sailor from the 1400s. He sailed along the coast of West Africa.

Around 1472, he was the first European to see some islands in the Gulf of Guinea. One of these islands was even named after him for a long time, called Fernando Pó or Fernando Poo. Today, that island is known as Bioko and is part of Equatorial Guinea. Other places in nearby Cameroon, and even two villages (one in Portugal and one in Sierra Leone), were also named after him.

Biography of Fernão do Pó

We don't know much about Fernão do Pó's personal life. He was one of many sailors who worked for a man named Fernão Gomes. Gomes had a special agreement with the King of Portugal, Afonso V of Portugal, that allowed him to control trade in parts of the Gulf of Guinea.

Fernão do Pó explored the Gulf of Guinea for the King. He is known for being the first European explorer to discover the southwestern coast of Africa. Before his journeys, many Europeans believed that Africa was one giant island. Pó's explorations helped to map out the "elbow" shape of the continent and its long southwestern coastline.