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Events on Tuesday 20 May 1856 1
1856David Livingstone completes crossing of southern AfricaMissionary explorer reaches the Indian Ocean coastDavid Livingstone arrived at Quelimane on the Indian Ocean coast of Mozambique on 20 May 1856, completing a west-to-east crossing of the African continent begun in 1853 from Luanda. His journey included the first European sighting of Victoria Falls in 1855. The expedition made Livingstone a celebrated figure in Britain and spurred further European exploration of the African interior.