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===== North Atlantic and Gulf of Guinea =====
The North Atlantic is where the Portuguese colonial ambitions first started. Madeira Island was the first overseas territory occupied and colonized by Portugal. The island was discovered by sailors in 1418, but only in 1425 the occupation of the land started. TheAlso islandin hasthe a15th verycentury, sailors reached the archipelago strategicof positionAzores in the Atlantic1430s. Later explorations along the Gulf of Guinea made Portugal reach Cape Verde, São Tomé e Príncipe and openedBioko. The majority of these islands, with the opportunityexception of Bioko, didn't had any human inhabitant until European arrival, so it was necessary to bring enslaved individuals from the PortugueseAfrica Crownmainland to sailserve evenas morethe southwork intoforce. theThe economy of those islands were based on plantations of sugar, cocoa, shiping activities and Africanslave coasttrade.
Portuguese Guinea is the largest holding in the region, and the only one which is not an island. The Portuguese presence in the coast of Guinea dates since the XIV century, when outpost for trade, especially slave trade, with the natives were build. In the late 19th century, Portugal expanded into the African interior, reaching the Niger River basin. By 1900, Portuguese Guinea bordered Swedish Guinea, Genoese Guinea, Spanish Guinea, French Niger and many African states such as the Tukulor Empire. ▼Also in the 15th century, sailors reached the Azores Archipelago. In the early 1430s, the first settlers to the islands arrived in the archipelago. It was important for Portugal to keep control of these islands. Located in the middle of the North Atlantic, they had a strategic position, and many ships stopped on the Azorian ports when coming from the Americas on the route to Europe.
Later in the 15th century, in 1460, the archipelago of Cape Verde was discovered. Santigao was the island most suitable for colonization, and the first settlers arrived on the island in 1462. Given their strategic position, on the routes that linked Europe, Africa and Brazil, the islands served as a trading and supply post, with particular emphasis on the slave trade.
The two last insular holdings in the Gulf of Guinea were the islands of São Tomé e Príncipe and Bioko. São Tomé e Príncipe was first discovered in 1470. Prior to this date, the island was unknown both in an European and African perspective. Later in the 1470s, the island received its first Portuguese settlers along with enslaved Africans from the mainland. Sugar production was the most important economic activity.
Bioko was discovered shortly after in 1472, and just like its neighboring islands, sugarcane had a key role in the island's economy, but cocoa was also another important product. Bioko, differently from São Tomé e Príncipe, had a significant population prior to European arrival, thus it was harder to keep control of the colony. Rebellions were common and enslaved individuals escaped the plantations to the interior on a regular basis.
▲Portuguese Guinea is the largest holding in the region, and the only one which is not an island. The Portuguese presence in the coast of Guinea dates since the XIV century, when outpost for trade, especially slave trade, with the natives were build. In the late 19th century, Portugal expanded into the African interior, reaching the Niger River basin. By 1900, Portuguese Guinea bordered Swedish Guinea, Genoese Guinea, Spanish Guinea, French Niger and many African states such as the Tukulor Empire.
===== Indian city ports =====
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