Fernão do Pó

Portuguese explorer

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July 1, 2026

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Fernão do Pó was a Portuguese explorer who, likely in 1472, sighted the island that now bears his name, Bioko. At first, the island was called Formosa, meaning "Beautiful". The island was later known as Fernando Po Island before being renamed Bioko. Do Pó's explorations were part of the 15th-century voyages sponsored by Prince Henry the Navigator, focusing on the exploration of West Africa.123

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Cameroon
Early history
In 1472 the Portuguese explorer Fernão do Pó was the first European to view the Cameroon coast, although Hanno, a Carthaginian, may have sailed there 2,000 years earlier. Pó was followed by traders, many of whom were involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Cameroon became a significant source of enslaved…
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In 1472 the Portuguese explorer Fernão do Pó was the first European to view the Cameroon coast, although Hanno, a Carthaginian, may have sailed there 2,000 years earlier. Pó was followed by traders, many of whom were involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Cameroon became a significant source of enslaved…
Read More