Gêba

Geography

The Geba rises in the northernmost area of Guinea in the Fouta Djallon highlands, passes through southern Senegal, and reaches the Atlantic Ocean in Guinea-Bissau. It is about 550 kilometres (340 mi) in total length.

It is largely a lowland river, with a higher flow during the rainy season (from June to October). The areas around the lower reaches of the river are floodplains surrounded by savanna and forest, with a high population density based around subsistence farming.

The mouth of the Geba is a wide tidal estuary that is shared with the Corubal River. The tidal range can be as high as 7 metres (23 ft) within the estuary (also called the Geba Channel).

Its tributaries include the Anambe, Gambiel, and Campossa (or Colufe) rivers. The Colufe River joins the Geba at Bafatá.

Economy

The Geba has long been an important trade route connecting into the interior; it is accessible to 2,000-ton ships some 140 kilometres (87 mi) in, and shallow-draft vessels even further.

The town of Geba, located along the navigable portion of the river, served as a major trading post. It connected Soninke, Mandé, Kaabu, and Biafada trading routes. Geba was involved in the Atlantic slave trade. Kola nuts, metals, and ivory were also traded there.