Nova Sofala

Nova Sofala (nôˈvə sŏfäˈlə) [key], city, SE Mozambique, on Mozambique Channel. An early Arab trading post, it was settled by the Portuguese in 1505, when a fort was built. Nova Sofala was the starting point for expeditions into the mineral-rich hinterland.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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