The Island of Goree is a small island of just 45 acres (0.2 sq. km.) located only 2 km at sea from the main harbour of Dakar, Senegal. It was first occupied by the Portuguese c.1450 as a post to enable further southward exploration down the coast of Africa. In turn it became a Dutch, French and English possession. From 'Histoire Générale des Voyages, ou Nouvelle Collection de Toutes les Relations de Voyages par Mer et par Terre ...' first issued in 1745 followed by a total of twenty volumes.