Calabar, the calm, green and elegant capital of Cross River State, has a rich history whose dark hours of the slave trade have shaped the city, and a recent cultural dynamism driven by its governors, making the December Carnival "the greatest street festival in Africa". Originally named Akwa Akpa in the Efik language, the majority ethnic group in the region, the city was thus the capital of the Southern Protectorates before the transfer to Lagos. From the 15th century onwards, the region began to exploit oil palms, rubber, wood and cocoa, trading with Portuguese and then British sailors, before becoming the first slave port from the end of the 17th century until the abolition of slavery in the 19th century. Today, the city aims to become the country's tourist capital, and satisfies its visitors with an attractive balance between heritage, nature and culture. Established on the banks of the Calabar River, along a wide delta that it forms before flowing into the Atlantic, the city enjoys much higher rainfall than the rest of the country, which can be easily seen by flying over the green forests that precede the landing. Celebrated for the beauty of its women and the richness of its cuisine, the city sings church songs on Sundays, and its inhabitants have a great sense of hospitality.

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