Sofala

Sofala [suˈfalɐ], at present known as Nova Sofala [ˈnovɐ suˈfalɐ], was a prominent Swahili city-state. It is located on the Sofala Bank in Sofala Province of Mozambique. The first recorded use of this port town was by Mogadishan merchants. One possible etymology for Sofala is "go and cultivate" or " go and dig" in the Somali language, showing the city as a hub for gold.