Farim

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Farim
Coat of arms
Farim Location in Guinea-Bissau
Coordinates: 12°29′2″N 15°13′18″W / 12.48389°N 15.22167°W / 12.48389; -15.22167
Country	Guinea-Bissau
Region	Oio Region
Founded	1641
Elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Population  (2009)
• Total	8,661

Farim is a town of northern Guinea-Bissau. It sits on the north bank of the Farim/Cacheu River, about 215 km (135 miles) up the river from Cacheu. Population 8,661 (2009 census).^[1]

History[]

Farim was founded about 1641 by the Captain-Major of Cacheu, who recruited lançados from Geba to move to where they would be less vulnerable to attack by African tribes. The name derived from , the title of the local Mandinka people's ruler. For their part, the Mandinkas and Soninke called the settlement Tubabodaga ("village of the whites"). It was well-situated as a port, since the river was continuously navigable by sailing vessels from Cacheu.

It became a presídio (garrisoned place) though an order dated 10 November 1696, in reaction to an anticipated attack from nearby . The area remained generally peaceful, and the defenses gradually deteriorated.

It was a base for operations against Oio in 1897 and 1902. Farim started to grow in earnest in the 1910s, with over twenty trading firms based there, and became a vila (town) in 1918.

Farim had become a by 1925, and experienced an influx of Lebanese and Syrian merchants, dealing in peanuts and timber. Its economy was hit hard by the independence struggle in the 1960s and 1970s.

Sports[]

There are several sports clubs (notably football and athletics) in Farim and area, including SC Farim.

Named after[]

A crater on Mars is named after the town.^[2]

References[]

• Richard Andrew Lobban Jr. and Peter Karibe Mendy, Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, 3rd ed. (Scarecrow Press, 1997 ISBN 0-8108-3226-7) pp. 160–163

Coordinates: 12°29′N 15°13′W / 12.483°N 15.217°W / 12.483; -15.217