Îles de Los

Îles de Los
Location of the Îles de Los in the Atlantic Ocean
Map of Îles de Los (Los Islands), Guinea

Îles de Los (English: Loose Islands) are an island group lying off Conakry in Guinea. Their name is derived from the Portuguese: Ilhas dos los Idolos, probably "Island of the Idols". There are three main islands: Tamara (Fortoba), Kassa and Roume, while Coraille, Blanche and Cabris are smaller islands to the south. The islands are best known for their beaches and forested interiors and are popular with tourists. Ferries sail to the Los from Conakry.

The six islands

Tamara

Tamara is home to the Île Tamara lighthouse. There was also a prison built on Tamara.

Roume

This island has also previously been known as Crawford Island, when under British rule. Roume is said to have inspired the novel Treasure Island.

Kassa

This island has also previously been known as Factory Island. The name is derived from the Portuguese word "kasa".

History

The islands been inhabited for a long time and rose to prominence for their role in slave trade. In 1755 Miles Barber of the African Company of Liverpool established a factory there employing workers skilled in ship repair as well as pilots for the local rivers. This led to Kassa being known as "Factory Island".[1]

British possession, 1818-1904

Charles MacCarthy, the Governor of Sierra Leone signed a treaty with Mangé Demba whereby the islands were ceded to the British for the payment of an annual rent on 6 July 1818.[2] Following a visit by Edward VII to France, and a return visit by President Loubet of France, a Franco-British agreement was reached by 7 April 1904: Îles de Los was handed over to France in exchange for France relinquishing fishing rights in Newfoundland and Labrador.[3] They were incorporated into French Guinea, one of the constituent parts of French West Africa on July 1904.[4]

Part of French Guinea (1904-1958)

Scipio O'Connor was the first colonial administrator appointed by the French.[3]


References

  1. ↑ Mouser, Bruce (2002). A slaving voyage to Africa and Jamaica : the log of the Sandown, 1793 - 1794. Bloomington, Ind. [u.a.]: Indiana University Press. p. viii. ISBN 0253340772.
  2. ↑ McLachlan, Peter (1821). Travels into the Baga and Soosoo Countries in 1821. Freetown, Sierra leone: J. Mitton and co.
  3. 1 2 Diallo, Mamadou; Coquery-Vidrovitch, Catherine (2005). Répression et enfermement en Guinée : Le pénitencier de Fotoba et la prison centrale de Conakry de 1900 à 1958. Paris: L'Harmattan.
  4. ↑ "IV. La formation de la colonie de la Guinée française (1875-1904)". http://www.webguinee.net. Afriq Access & Tierno S. Bah. Retrieved 1 April 2016. External link in |website= (help)

Coordinates: 9°28′37″N 13°47′08″W / 9.4769°N 13.7855°W / 9.4769; -13.7855


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