1502 / 1664
From Discovery to the First Settlers
Before the 16th century, only the Arabs and Austronesians (from present-day Indonesia and Malaysia) knew the Indian Ocean. In 1498 Vasco de Gama sailed into the Ocean, went up the Mozambique Channel, explored Madagascar and reached Calicut (Kozhikod) in India. European colonisation of the Indian Ocean started with this major expedition. After the Portuguese, the English, the Dutch and finally the French embarked on the colonial venture. They “discovered” these islands and settled here.
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