221 Great Explorers of the World

Louis Claude de Freycinet was born on 7th August 1779  in Drome, France, and he died on 18th August 1841 (aged 62 years) in France. Louis was a French navigator, cartographer and explorer who circumnavigated the Earth and he is attributed with making the first map to show the full outline of Australia. He had […]

Xu Fu was born in 255 BC, in Qi, ancient China. Xu Fu was a court sorcerer and was sent on two voyages to look for the Elixir of Life by Qin Shi Huang, the ruler of Qin. Xu travelled for many years with a fleet of 60 ships, 5000 crew members and various artisans

John Charles Fremont was born on 21st January 1813 in Savannah, Georgia, United States, and he died on 13th July 1890 (aged 77 years) in New York. A politician who undertook expeditions to the American West and was called the ‘Path Finder’, John mapped the second half of the Oregon Trail. The third expedition led

Simon Fraser II was born on 20th May 1776 in Hoosick, Province of New York, British America, and he died on 18th August 1862 (aged 86 years) in Saint. Andrews West, Canada. Simon was an explorer who has explored and chartered most of the British Columbia region of Canada. He is also credited with establishing

Sir John Franklin was born on 16th April 1786 in Spilsby, United Kingdom, and he died on 11th June 1847 (aged 61 years) in King William Island, Canada. Franklin entered the Royal Navy at the age of 14, accompanied Matthew Flinders on his exploratory voyage to Australia, and served in the Battles of Trafalgar and

Peter Forsskal was born on 11th January 1732 in Helsinki, Finland, and he died on 11th July 1763 (aged 31 years) in Yemen. A naturalist and an orientalist, Peter studied theology and was a disciple of Linnaeus, who was a renowned botanist. Peter published a political paper on Civil Liberty and advocated the complete freedom

Captain Mattew Flinders was born on 16th March 1774 in Donington, United Kingdom, and he died on 19th July 1814 (aged 40 years) in London, England. Mattew was an English cartographer and navigator who was the leader of the expedition which took the first circumnavigation of Australia and recognized it as a continent. Mattew undertook

Salvador Fidalgo was born on 6th August 1756 in Spain and he died on 27th September 1803 (aged 47 years) in Tacubaya, Mexico City, Mexico. Salvador was a Spanish explorer who commanded an expedition for Spain to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest during the 18th century. He was a member of the team of cartographers

Lieutenant Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett was born on 18th August 1867 in Torquay, United Kingdom, and he died on 29th May 1925 (aged 58 years) in Mato Grosso, Brazil. An artillery officer, archaeologist and explorer, Percy is best known for exploring South America when he was trying to look for the lost city of El

Ahmad ibn Fadlan was born in 877 AD in Baghdad, Iraq, and he died in 960 AD (aged 83 years). Ahmad was an Arab traveller known for his writing about his travels as an Embassy member of Baghdad to the King of Volga Bulgars, now in Russia. He called his book ‘Risala’. He provided very

Mehmed Zilli, known as Evliya Celebi, was born on 25th March 1611 (aged 71 years) in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, and he died on 1682 in Cairo, Egypt. Evliya was an Ottoman explorer who over a period of forty years travelled the Ottoman Empire and the areas around it. He is known to have travelled to

Sir George Everest was born on 4th July 1790 in Wales, United Kingdom and he died on 1st December 1866 (aged 76 years) in Hyde Park Gardens, London, United Kingdom. Sir George was a geographer and surveyor who became well known for exploring much of India and Nepal. He was the Surveyor-General of India where

Juan Sebastian Elcano was born in 1476 in Getaria, Gipuzkoa, Spain, and he died on 4th August 1526 (aged 50 years) at the Pacific ocean. Juan Sebastian was a mariner, navigator and explorer. He is credited with doing the first circumnavigation of the Earth. He led a mutiny against Magellan who was in charge. During

Gil Eanes was born in 1395 in Laos Portugal and he died in 1445. A Portuguese and explorer, Gil is known to be the first person to sail beyond the Cape Bojador which was then considered impassable. He failed in the first exploration attempt to go round Cape Bojador as he drifted towards Canary islands

Karl Von Ditmar was born 8th September 1822 in Vandra, Estonia, and he died on 25th April 1892 (aged 70 years) in Tartu, Estonia. A geologist and explorer best known to have travelled and given a scientific explanation and understanding of Kamchatka, which is in the far east of Russia. He undertook a voyage to