Circumnavigation

Circumnavigation is the act of going around something. The word is usually used to mean a journey made around an island, continent or, more often, the world, especially when made by sea.

The first maritime circumnavigations of the globe were:

• Ferdinand Magellan (Portuguese, but sailing for Spain), 1519-1522 - died during his circumnavigation, it was completed under command of Sebastian del Cano
• Francis Drake (English), 1577-1580
• Thomas Cavendish (English), 1586-1588
• Olivier van Noort[?] (Dutch), 1598-1601

Some other circumnavigations:

• pharaoh Necho II, first circumnavigation of Africa
• Robert Gray[?], 1787-1790 (first American circumnavigation)
• Adam Johann von Krusenstern, 1803-1806 (first Russian circumnavigation)
• Joshua Slocum 1895 - 1898 (first solo circumnavigation of the world)