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82-610: It was named after the French navy ship La Romanche , commanded by captain Louis-Ferdinand Martial which on 11 October 1883 made soundings that revealed the trench. The boat was returning to France after spending a few months on a scientific mission near Cape Horn as part of the first International Polar Year . The trench has a depth of 7,761 m (25,463 ft), is 300 km (190 mi) long, has an average width of 19 km (12 mi), and allows for

164-400: A critical role in establishing and securing the French colonial empire for over 400 years. The French Navy pioneered several innovations in naval technology, including the first steam-powered ship of the line , first seagoing ironclad warship , first mechanically propelled submarine , first steel-hulled warship, and first armoured cruiser . The French Navy consists of six main components:

246-784: A decade long, followed by the War of the Austrian Succession in the 1740s. Principal engagements of these wars include the Battle of Vigo Bay and two separate Battles of Cape Finisterre in 1747. The most grueling conflict for the Navy, however, was the Seven Years' War , in which it was virtually destroyed. Significant actions include the Battle of Cap-Français , the Battle of Quiberon Bay , and another Battle of Cape Finisterre . The Navy regrouped and rebuilt, and within 15 years it

328-635: A fleet of offshore and coastal patrol vessels, mine countermeasures vessels as well as auxiliaries and support ships. The French Naval Aviation is officially known as the Aéronautique navale and was created on the 19 June 1998 with the merging of Naval patrol aircraft and aircraft carrier squadrons. It has a strength of around 6,800 civilian and military personnel operating from four airbases in Metropolitan France. The Aéronavale has been modernized with 40 Rafale fighters which operate from

410-955: A fourth Battle of Ushant (known in English as the Glorious First of June ), the Battle of Groix , the Atlantic campaign of May 1794 , the French expedition to Ireland , the Battle of Tory Island , and the Battle of the Nile . Other engagements of the Revolutionary Wars ensued in the early 1800s, including the Battle of the Malta Convoy and the Algeciras Campaign . The Quasi-War wound down with single-ship actions including USS Constellation vs La Vengeance and USS Enterprise vs Flambeau . When Napoleon

492-505: A huge problem in the Gulf of Guinea and as a consequence has different Maritime security issues become more pressing. These maritime security crimes are characterized not only by piracy but by a myriad of maritime crimes despite piracy often dominating the conversation on maritime security. The other notable crimes in the Gulf of Guinea are illegal fishing, kidnapping for ransom, drug trafficking and oil-bunkering. Illegal oil-bunkering consists of

574-553: A line from Ihléu Gago Coutinho northwestward to Cape Palmas ( 4°22′N 7°44′W  /  4.367°N 7.733°W  / 4.367; -7.733 ), in Liberia. The Gulf of Guinea contains a number of islands, the largest of which are in a southwest-northeast chain, forming part of the Cameroon line of volcanoes. Annobón , also known as Pagalu or Pigalua, is an island that is part of Equatorial Guinea . Bobowasi Island

656-534: A major circulation of deep-ocean-basin water from the west Atlantic to the east Atlantic basins. Deep water flow through the trench is from west to east with a rate of 3.6 Sverdrups (million m³/s) of 1.57 °C (34.83 °F) water. Lower North Atlantic Deep Water (LNADW) is found around 3,600–4,000 metres (11,800–13,100 ft) below sea level and flows from the Greenland and Norwegian seas; it brings high salinity, oxygen, and freon concentrations towards

738-584: A maritime force of patrol boats that falls under the operational command of the French Navy: During most of the Cold War, the Navy was organised in two squadrons based in Brest and Toulon, commanded by ALESCLANT ( Amiral commandant l'escadre de l'Atlantique ) and ALESCMED ( Amiral commandant l'escadre de la Méditerranée ) respectively. Since the post-Cold War restructuring process named Optimar '95,

820-456: A pressing issue in the region. Many pirate groups in the Gulf of Guinea often recruit unemployed and underemployed fishermen. This has become highly lucrative due to poor wages and little to no money going around. Often have these local fishermen been lured into the prospect of quick easy money and as a result sold their fishing boats to other pirates in the Gulf. Depliting fishing stocks encourages fishermen to engage in piracy and more violence in

902-556: A rapid pace that it was superfluous. Isolated engagements between French and German ships took place in other theaters, but the war was over in a matter of weeks. The Navy continued to protect colonial safety and expansion under the French Third Republic . The Sino-French War saw considerable naval action including the Battle of Fuzhou , the Battle of Shipu , and the Pescadores Campaign . In Vietnam,

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984-572: A severe problem in the Gulf of Guinea. In 2000 were there reports of 212,800 tons of fish caught and in 2012 has this number increased by 9 percent to 232,200 tons. IUU consequently creates spillover problems to the social, economic and environmental life in the Gulf of Guinea. It presents a direct threat to the national security of the coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea. IUU has been linked to multiple issues and forms of organized crime. Some of these crimes are arms trafficking, drug smuggling, forced labor, piracy and more. IUU depletes fish stocks in

1066-490: A wide range of fighting vessels, including various aeronaval forces, attack and ballistic missile submarines , frigates , patrol boats and support ships, with aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle serving as the centerpiece of most expeditionary forces. The history of French naval power dates back to the Middle Ages , and had three loci of evolution: The first true French Royal Navy ( French : la Marine Royale )

1148-548: Is an island off the west coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea that is part of the Western Region of Ghana. Bioko is an island off the Ambazonian region of Cameroon in the Gulf of Guinea under the sovereignty of Equatorial Guinea. Corisco is an island belonging to Equatorial Guinea. Elobey Grande and Elobey Chico are two small islands belonging to Equatorial Guinea. São Tomé and Príncipe (officially

1230-495: Is capped by Miocene shallow-water limestones that reached above sea level 20 Ma before subsiding abnormally fast. The eastern part of the transverse ridge, however, consists of a thick sequence of stratified material called the Romanche Sedimentary Sequence (RSS). The RSS includes pelagic material from the early Cretaceous (140 Ma) which, coupled with the thickness of the sequence, does not fit with

1312-531: Is spreading at a rate of 1.75 cm/year (0.69 in/year) and began forming about 50 Ma . North of and parallel to the fracture zone is a transverse ridge which is particularly prominent over hundreds of kilometers east and west of the MAB of the South Atlantic. The western part of the transverse ridge consists of fragments of uplifted oceanic crust and upper mantle . The summit of the transverse ridge

1394-574: Is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of France . It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in the world recognised as being a blue-water navy . The French Navy is capable of operating globally and conducting expeditionary missions, maintaining a significant overseas presence . The French Navy is one of eight naval forces currently operating fixed-wing aircraft carriers , with its flagship Charles de Gaulle being

1476-405: Is there more piracy, forced labor and human trafficking as a consequence of IUU fishing, depleting fish stock and large competition of resources and food. There have been many reports of forced labor at sea in the Gulf of Guinea on illegal fishing boats. The EJF reports that through their studies they found that some fishermen and immigrant workers have been forced to work on fishing boats in

1558-546: The Durance class are being replaced under the FLOTLOG project by up to four derivatives of Italy's Vulcano -class logistic support ship , with three being delivered from 2023 to 2027. A fourth potential ship is delayed until after 2030. Construction has started on the first of six Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarines ; commissioning of Suffren took place in 2020. These nuclear attack submarines are to be followed in

1640-558: The Georges Leygues class , but plans to buy a possible seventeen FREMMs were cut back to eleven and then to eight. The cancellation of the third and fourth Horizon destroyers meant that the last two FREMM hulls, which entered service between 2021 and 2023, are fitted out as FREDA air-defence ships to replace the Cassard class . DCNS has shown a FREMM-ER concept to meet this requirement, emphasising ballistic missile defence with

1722-506: The 2013 French White Paper on Defence and National Security . The French Navy operates three amphibious assault ships , ten air defence and anti-submarine frigates , five general purpose frigates and has a commitment to six fleet submarines (SSNs). These vessels, with the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle , constitute the French Navy's main ocean-going war-fighting force, while the four ballistic missile submarines ( SSBN ) of

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1804-609: The Battle of Grenada , the invasion of Dominica , and three separate Battles of Ushant . Within less than a decade, however, the Navy was decimated by the French Revolution when large numbers of veteran officers were dismissed or executed for their noble lineage. Nonetheless, the Navy fought vigorously through the French Revolutionary Wars as well as the Quasi-War . Significant actions include

1886-598: The Battle of Navarino , and throughout the rest of the century they generally behaved in a manner that paved the way for the Entente Cordiale . Charles X sent a large fleet to execute the invasion of Algiers in 1830 . The next year, his successor, Louis Philippe I , made a show of force against Portugal at the Battle of the Tagus , and in 1838 conducted another display of gunboat diplomacy , this time in Mexico at

1968-509: The Battle of Veracruz . Beginning in 1845, a five-year Anglo-French blockade of the Río de la Plata was imposed on Argentina over trade rights. The Emperor Napoleon III was determined to follow an even stronger foreign policy than his predecessors, and the Navy was involved in a multitude of actions around the world. He joined in the Crimean War in 1854; major actions for the Navy include

2050-792: The Fifth Republic ; it was last granted in 1869, during the Second Empire , but retained during the Third Republic until the death of its bearer in 1873. The title of amiral de la flotte was created so that Darlan would not have an inferior rank than his counterpart in the British Royal Navy , who had the rank of Admiral of the Fleet . The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . Unlike in

2132-581: The French Army and Air and Space Force , one does not prepend mon to the name of the rank when addressing an officer (that is, not mon capitaine, but simply capitaine ). The main military musical unit of the French Navy is the Military Band of the Toulon Fleet ( French : La musique des équipages de la flotte de Toulon ), founded on 13 July 1827. The Bagad Lann Bihoue , based on

2214-793: The Naval Action Force , the Submarine Forces ( FOST and ESNA ), French Naval Aviation , the Navy Riflemen (including Naval Commandos ), the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion , and the Maritime Gendarmerie . As of 2021, the French Navy employed 44,000 personnel (37,000 military and 7,000 civilian), more than 180 ships, 200 aircraft, and six commandos units; as of 2014, its reserve element numbered roughly 48,000. It operates

2296-695: The Norwegian Campaign , the Dunkirk evacuation and, briefly, the Battle of the Mediterranean . However, after the fall of France in June 1940, the Navy was obligated to remain neutral under the terms of the armistice that created the truncated state of Vichy France . Worldwide, some 100 naval vessels and their crews heeded General Charles de Gaulle 's call to join forces with the British, but

2378-876: The Royal Navy until the end of the war. In the Pacific theatre as well, Free French vessels operated until the Japanese capitulation; Richelieu was present at the Japanese Instrument of Surrender . The Navy later provided fire support and troop transport in the Indochina War , the Algerian War , the Gulf War , and the Kosovo War . Since 2000, the Navy has given logistical support to

2460-556: The Troupes de la marine , the former of which maintained two drums (tambour) and a fife . France's financial problems have affected all branches of her military. The 2013 French White Paper on Defence and National Security cancelled the long-planned new aircraft carrier and a possible fourth Mistral -class amphibious assault ship . The backbone of the fleet will be the Aquitaine -class FREMM anti-submarine frigates , replacing

2542-611: The War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) as well as the global War on Terror . In 2011, it assisted Opération Harmattan in Libya. The chief of the naval staff is Vice-admiral d’escadre Arnaud de Tarlé , and as of 2014 the Navy has an active strength of 36,776 military personnel and 2,909 civilian staff. The Navy is organised into four main operational branches: In addition, the National Gendarmerie of France maintain

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2624-544: The bagad bands in Bretagne , is currently the sole pipe band in the service of the French Navy, which uses bagpipes and bombards , and thus is affiliated to the band. In Canada , French naval music has affected the traditions of Canadian navy bands . French navy bands in the country date back to the era of New France . Musical units were primarily attached to the Compagnies Franches de la Marine and

2706-615: The caridean shrimp Alvinocaris muricola inhabits cold seeps in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of Guinea , which clearly suggests a gene flow across the Atlantic, but the amount of data is very limited and dispersal pathways are not fully understood. 0°00′N 18°00′W  /  0.000°N 18.000°W  / 0.000; -18.000 French Navy The French Navy ( French : Marine nationale , lit.   'National Navy'), informally La Royale ,

2788-725: The siege of Petropavlovsk and the Battle of Kinburn . The Navy was heavily involved in the Cochinchina Campaign in 1858, the Second Opium War in China, and the French intervention in Mexico . It took part in the French expedition to Korea and the Shimonoseki campaign . In the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, the Navy imposed an effective blockade of Germany, but events on land proceeded at such

2870-480: The 2030s by the incremental introduction of a new class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) whose construction began in 2024. The first MM40 Exocet Block 3 missile was test-fired in 2010 to be produced. Naval versions of the SCALP EG land-attack cruise missile are under development, along with a planned Aster Block 1NT with greater capabilities against ballistic missiles. In October 2018,

2952-596: The 20th century as the naval arms race between Germany and Great Britain grew in intensity. It entered World War I with relatively few modern vessels, and during the war few warships were built because the main French effort was on land. While the British held control of the North Sea, the French held the Mediterranean, where they mostly kept watch on the Austro-Hungarian Navy . The largest operations of

3034-529: The Allies invaded French North Africa . But the confrontations were set aside once the Germans occupied Vichy France . The capital ships were a primary goal of the occupation, but before they could be seized they were scuttled by their own crews . A few small ships and submarines managed to escape in time, and these joined de Gaulle's Free French Naval Forces , an arm of Free France that fought as an adjunct of

3116-570: The Americas; Port des Galets and Dzaoudzi in the Indian Ocean; and Nouméa and Papeete in the Pacific. In addition, the navy shares or leases bases in foreign locales such as Abu Dhabi , Dakar and Djibouti . Although French naval doctrine calls for two aircraft carriers , the French only have one, Charles de Gaulle . Originally a planned order for French aircraft carrier PA2

3198-578: The Catalan atlas of 1375 as Ginyia. A passage in Leo [Africanus] (vol. III, 822) points to Guinea having been a corrupt form of Jenne [2,000-year-old city in central Mali on Niger river], less famous than Ghana but nevertheless for many centuries famed in the Maghrib as a great market and a seat of learning. The relevant passage reads: "The Kingdom of Ghinea . . . called by the merchants of our nation Gheneoa, by

3280-476: The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe) is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea that became independent from Portugal in 1975. It is located off the western equatorial coast of Africa and consists of two islands, São Tomé and Príncipe . They are located about 140 kilometres (87 mi) apart and about 250 and 225 kilometres (155 and 140 mi), respectively, off

3362-448: The EJF called “trash fish" -caught as by-catch- and then the way they would earn money was to further sell this fish. Other reports of forced labor on illegal fishing boats report poor and non-existent safety equipment. Little to no hygiene standards, poor accommodation standards, and very little food. Even though piracy in the gulf of Guinea has dropped since its peak in 2020, is it still

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3444-502: The French Ministry of Defence launched an 18-month study for €40 million for the eventual future replacement of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle beyond 2030. A decision to build the new carrier was taken by President Emmanuel Macron in 2020 and once it enters service it is anticipated to remain in service until beyond 2080. Construction of the new carrier is to begin in around 2025 with service entry anticipated in

3526-424: The French Navy are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels. Until 2005, only commissioned officers had an anchor on their insignia, but enlisted personnel are now receiving them as well. Commanding officers have titles of capitaine , but are called commandant (in the army, both capitaine and commandant are ranks, which tends to stir some confusion among

3608-461: The French Navy was a golden anchor , which, beginning in 1830, was interlaced by a sailing rope ; this symbol was featured on all naval vessels, arms, and uniforms. Although anchor symbols are still used on uniforms, a new naval logo was introduced in 1990 under Naval Chief of Staff Bernard Louzeau, featuring a modern design that incorporates the tricolour —by flanking the bow section of a white warship with two ascending red and blue spray foams—and

3690-443: The Gulf of Guinea for months at a time without access to land. Some of these workers were deployed to sea each day in canoes and in the night where they were forced to return to the mother ship to unload fish. Many illegal fishing boats have operated like such for many years and the workers are often contracted for two years at a time, with no chance to visit home or at times even land in general. Many workers are paid in boxes of what

3772-443: The Gulf of Guinea), which became known as "Upper Guinea", and to the west coast of Southern Africa (to the east), which became known as "Lower Guinea". Today, the word "Guinea" is found in the names of three countries in Africa ( Guinea , Guinea-Bissau , and Equatorial Guinea ), and in one country in Melanesia ( Papua New Guinea ). The main river dispensing its waters in the gulf is the Niger River . Different definitions of

3854-466: The Gulf of Guinea: the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). Additionally, maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is also addressed by the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC). There has been a 60% population growth in the Gulf of Guinea since 2000, which consequently leads people to resort to hijacking, kidnapping, robberies and more due to food shortages. Climate change has become

3936-409: The IUU fishing boats are old, rusty and often in poor condition. Both small-scale and large-scale fisheries often do illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea In the Gulf of Guinea can we see severe blue crime spillover effects of IUU through both piracy and human trafficking. Economic activity in the Gulf of Guinea has given rise to maritime piracy in the region. It is evident that in the Gulf of Guinea

4018-422: The Navy cut its teeth in the Anglo-French War (1627–1629) , the Franco-Spanish War (1635–59) , the Second Anglo-Dutch War , the Franco-Dutch War , and the Nine Years' War . Major battles in these years include the Battle of Augusta , Battle of Beachy Head , the Battles of Barfleur and La Hougue , the Battle of Lagos , and the Battle of Texel . The 1700s opened with the War of the Spanish Succession , over

4100-432: The Navy helped wage the Tonkin Campaign which included the Battle of Thuận An , and it later participated in the Franco-Siamese conflict of 1893 . The 19th century French Navy brought forth numerous new technologies. It led the development of naval artillery with its invention of the highly effective Paixhans gun . In 1850, Napoléon became the first steam-powered ship of the line in history, and Gloire became

4182-452: The Navy were conducted during the Dardanelles Campaign . In December 1916, during the Noemvriana events, French warships also bombarded Athens, trying to force the pro-German government of Greece to change its policies. The French Navy also played an important role in countering Germany's U-boat campaign by regularly patrolling the seas and escorting convoys. Between the World Wars, the Navy modernized and expanded significantly, even in

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4264-409: The Thales Sea Fire 500 AESA radar. Industrial considerations mean that the funds for FREMMs 9-11 are now being spent on five more exportable Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention ( FDI , "intermediate size frigates" ) from 2024 to supplement, and ultimately replace, the La Fayette class, three of which are being upgraded with new sonars to operate into the early 2030s. With respect to support ships,

4346-502: The aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle . Seamen must be at least 17 but no more than 30 years old, with no minimum level of schooling. Petty officers must be at least 17 but no more than 30 years old, with at least a high school diploma giving access to university studies. Petty Officer Candidate begin training with five months at the Petty Officer School of Maistrance at Brest . Contract officers serve on an initial eight-year contract, renewable up to 20 years. The rank insignia of

4428-585: The area and causes issues for fishermen and the local population's food security . One of the main issues of IUU is that a lot of the fish that is caught in the Gulf of Guinea is fish that is unreported when caught. This causes overfishing and overfishing causes depleting fisheries all around the region. IUU fishing also becomes a severe issue in the region because it allows fishermen to fish in vessels that are not nationally regulated or managed. Furthermore, can these vessels threaten people's human security due to poor working conditions and poorly regulated boats. Many of

4510-440: The attacking of vessels transporting oil and transferring the oil to the thieves’ own vessel, after which the oil is sold in local and international markets. Illegal oil bunkering at sea is mainly prevalent in the Nigerian waters. Kidnapping for ransom is also one of the most prevalent maritime crimes in the region. Between 2018 and 2019, the number of crew members that were kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea increased by 50%, leading

4592-423: The bulk of the fleet, including all its capital ships, transferred loyalty to Vichy French Navy (Marine de Vichy). Concerned that the German Navy might somehow gain control of the ships, the British mounted an attack on Mers-el-Kébir , the Algerian city where many of them were harbored. The incident poisoned Anglo-French relations, leading to Vichy reprisals and a full-scale naval battle at Casablanca in 1942 when

4674-419: The coast dates only from 1481. In that year the Portuguese built a fort, São Jorge da Mina (modern-day Elmina ), on the Gold Coast region , and their king, John II, was permitted by the Pope [Sixtus II or Innocent VIII] to style himself Lord of Guinea, a title that survived until the recent extinction of the monarchy. The name " Guinea " was also previously applied to the south coast of West Africa (north of

4756-415: The engagements of this time were the Battle of the Basque Roads , the Battle of Grand Port , the Mauritius campaign of 1809–11 , and the Battle of Lissa . After Napoleon's fall in 1815, the long era of Anglo-French rivalry on the seas began to close, and the Navy became more of an instrument for expanding the French colonial empire . Under King Charles X , the two nations' fleets fought side by side in

4838-419: The equator) are the only deep passages in the MAR where interbasin exchange is possible. As AABW flows through the Romanche Fracture Zone, salinity and temperature increase significantly. The Romanche Fracture Zone offsets the Mid-Atlantic ridge by 900 km (560 mi), making it the largest equatorial fracture zone in the Atlantic. According to the normal scenario for the opening of the South Atlantic, it

4920-442: The equator. Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) flows below the LNADW and reaches down to the seafloor. Formed around Antarctica, the AABW is cold, has low salinity, and high silicate concentration. As it flows north, it is constrained by numerous obstacles on the seafloor. In the basin on the eastern side of the MAR the Walvis Ridge blocks the northward passage. For LNADW and AABW, the Romanche and Chain Fracture Zones (just south of

5002-402: The face of limitations set by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty . New additions included the heavy and fast Fantasque class "super- destroyers ", the Richelieu -class battleships, and the submarine Surcouf which was the largest and most powerful of its day. From the start of World War II , the Navy was involved in a number of operations, participating in the Battle of the Atlantic ,

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5084-441: The first seagoing ironclad warship nine years later. In 1863, the Navy launched Plongeur , the first submarine in the world to be propelled by mechanical power. In 1876, Redoutable became the first steel-hulled warship ever. In 1887, Dupuy de Lôme became the world's first armoured cruiser . During the latter part of the century, French officers developed the so-called Jeune École (Young School) theory that emphasized

5166-449: The geographic limits of the Gulf of Guinea are given; the International Hydrographic Organization defines the southwest extent of the Gulf of Guinea as "B line from Cap Lopez ( 0°37′S 8°43′E  /  0.617°S 8.717°E  / -0.617; 8.717 ), in Gabon, northwestward to Ihléu Gago Coutinho (Ilhéu das Rôlas) ( 0°01′S 6°32′E  /  0.017°S 6.533°E  / -0.017; 6.533 ); and thence

5248-442: The inscription " Marine nationale ". Cardinal Richelieu personally supervised the Navy until his death in 1643. He was succeeded by his protégé, Jean Baptiste Colbert , who introduced the first code of regulations of the French Navy and established the original naval dockyards in Brest and Toulon . Colbert and his son, the Marquis de Seignelay , between them administered the Navy for twenty-nine years. During this century,

5330-404: The latter 2030s. Gulf of Guinea Main five oceans division: Further subdivision: The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean from Cape Lopez in Gabon , north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia . Null Island , defined as the intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude ), is in the gulf. Among

5412-400: The many rivers that drain into the Gulf of Guinea are the Niger and the Volta . The coastline on the gulf includes the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Bonny . “Guinea” is thought to have originated from a local name for an area in the region, although the specifics are disputed. Bovill (1995) gives a thorough description: The name Guinea is usually said to have been a corrupt form of

5494-437: The name Ghana , picked up by the Portuguese in the Maghrib . The present writer finds this unacceptable. The name Guinea has been in use both in the Maghrib and in Europe long before Prince Henry's time. For example, on a map dated about 1320 by the Genoese cartographer Giovanni di Carignano, who got his information about Africa from a fellow-countryman in Sijilmassa [ancient trading city in North Africa], we find Gunuia, and in

5576-401: The natural inhabitants thereof Genni and by the Portugals and other people of Europe Ghinea." But it seems more probable that Guinea derives from aguinaou , the Berber for Negro. Marrakech [city in southeastern Morocco] has a gate, built in the twelfth century, called the Bab Aguinaou, the Gate of the Negro (Delafosse, Haut-Sénégal-Niger, II, 277-278). The modern application of the name Guinea to

5658-474: The navy's Strategic Oceanic Force provide the backbone of the French nuclear deterrent . In addition the French Navy operates six light surveillance frigates and, as of 2024, five avisos (originally light corvettes now reclassified as patrol vessels). They undertake the navy's offshore patrol duties, the protection of French naval bases and territorial waters , and can also provide low-end escort capabilities to any oceangoing task force. The Navy also operates

5740-415: The normal scenario for the opening of the South Atlantic around the Aptian - Albian (125–100 Ma). The transverse ridge separates the present trench from an 800 km (500 mi)-long aseismic valley where the Romanche transform was located until about 10–8 Ma. This transform migration was preceded by a process 25–17 Ma during which the Miocene shallow-water platform mentioned above reached sea level as

5822-428: The northern part of the southern MAR. Bivalve communities have been reported around vents further south. These species await a formal description, and it is not known whether they represent communities distinct from those on the northern MAR. The flow of NADW through the Romanche and Chain Fracture Zones may serve as a conduit for larval transport from the western North Atlantic to the eastern South Atlantic. For example,

5904-494: The northwestern coast of Gabon . Both islands are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range . São Tomé, the sizeable southern island, is situated just north of the Equator . Maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea consists of 18 sovereign states. Where most of the maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea have terrible consequences for the shipping industry. Multiple institutional mandates address maritime security in

5986-612: The only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the United States Navy , and one of two non-American vessels to use catapults to launch aircraft. Founded in the 17th century, the French Navy is one of the oldest navies still in continuous service, with precursors dating back to the Middle Ages. It has taken part in key events in French history, including the Napoleonic Wars and both world wars, and played

6068-448: The public). The two highest ranks, vice-amiral d'escadre and amiral ( admiral ), are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers ranking vice-amiral ( vice admiral ). The only amiral de la flotte ( Admiral of the Fleet ) was François Darlan after he was refused the dignity of amiral de France ( Admiral of France ). Equivalent to the dignity of Marshal of France , the rank of amiral de France remains theoretical in

6150-458: The region to account for 90% of global kidnappings at sea. About 92% of the hostage-taking and 73% of kidnappings happening in and around Africa are happening in the Gulf of Guinea. There is also a large issue of drug trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea and the region has over the last few years become a haven for drug trafficking mainly from South America into Europe. IUU fishing also known as Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing has become

6232-665: The transverse ridge was first uplifted , then deformed, and finally buried under the sea. The hydrothermal vents of the MAR support many life forms. The Romanche and Chain Fracture Zones create a huge gap in the MAR and can act as a "Subsea Berlin Wall" segregating the North Atlantic communities from those in other oceans. Swarms of hydrothermal shrimps reminiscent of those found from northern MAR vent-sites have been found on

6314-706: The two components have been divided into the Naval Action Force (commanded by ALFAN) and the Antisubmarine Group (commanded by ALGASM). As of 2014, the largest French naval base is the military port of Toulon . Other major bases in metropolitan France are the Brest Arsenal and Île Longue on the Atlantic, and Cherbourg Naval Base on the English Channel. Overseas French bases include Fort de France and Degrad des Cannes in

6396-487: The use of small, cheap torpedo boats to destroy expensive battleships, coupled with long-range commerce raiders to attack an opponent's merchant fleet. The first seaplane , the French Fabre Hydravion , was flown in 1910, and the first seaplane carrier , Foudre , was christened in the following year. Despite that innovation, the general development of the French Navy slowed down in the beginning of

6478-575: Was based on the design of the British Queen Elizabeth -class aircraft carrier recently constructed and launched for the British Royal Navy. However, the French programme had been delayed several times for budgetary reasons and the result was priority being given to the more exportable FREMM project. In April 2013 it was confirmed that the second aircraft carrier project would be abandoned due to defence cuts announced in

6560-464: Was crowned Emperor in 1804, he attempted to restore the Navy to a position that would enable his plan for an invasion of England. His dreams were dashed by the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where the British all but annihilated a combined Franco-Spanish fleet, a disaster that guaranteed British naval superiority throughout the Napoleonic Wars . Still, the Navy did not shrink from action: among

6642-545: Was eager to join the fray when France intervened in the American Revolutionary War . Though outnumbered everywhere, the French fleets held the British at bay for years until victory. After this conflict and the concomitant Anglo-French War (1778–1783) , the Navy emerged at a new height in its history. Major battles in these years include the Battle of the Chesapeake , the Battle of Cape Henry ,

6724-674: Was established in 1624 by Cardinal Richelieu , chief minister to King Louis XIII . During the French Revolution , la Marine Royale was formally renamed la Marine Nationale . Under the First French Empire and the Second French Empire , the navy was designated as the Imperial French Navy ( la Marine impériale française ). Institutionally, however, the navy has never lost its short familiar nickname, la Royale . The original symbol of

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