A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar in the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century

A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar in the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century by Duarte Barbosa is a significant early account of maritime exploration and trade in the Indian Ocean. Written by a Portuguese traveler and chronicler the book provides detailed observations of the lands peoples and cultures encountered along the coasts of East Africa and the Malabar region of India during the early 1500s. Barbosa describes the customs political structures trade networks and economic activities of the diverse societies he visited offering valuable insights into the thriving commercial connections between Africa the Middle East India and beyond.The work is particularly notable for its detailed descriptions of ports goods and navigational routes reflecting the growing influence of European maritime powers in the region. Barbosa’s account highlights the wealth and sophistication of Indian Ocean trade long before full European colonization shedding light on a world where merchants rulers and seafarers from different cultures interacted and competed. As an early European perspective on these regions A Description of the Coasts of East Africa and Malabar remains an important historical document for understanding the dynamics of early modern global trade and cultural exchange.