EXPLORER

Richard Francis Burton

1821 - 1890

Photo of Richard Francis Burton

Icon of person Richard Francis Burton

Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton, KCMG, FRGS, (19 March 1821 – 20 October 1890) was a British explorer, writer, scholar and military officer. He was famed for his travels and explorations in Asia, Africa and South America, as well as his extensive knowledge of languages and cultures, speaking up to 29 different languages. Born in Torquay, Devon, Burton joined the Bombay Army as an officer in 1842, beginning an eighteen-year military career which including a brief stint in the Crimean War. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Richard Francis Burton has received more than 2,046,331 page views. His biography is available in 53 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 52 in 2019). Richard Francis Burton is the 73rd most popular explorer (down from 51st in 2019), the 596th most popular biography from United Kingdom (down from 464th in 2019) and the 11th most popular British Explorer.

Richard Francis Burton is most famous for his translation of "The Arabian Nights" and his exploration of Africa.

Memorability Metrics

  • 2.0M

    Page Views (PV)

  • 63.54

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 53

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 4.87

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.46

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among EXPLORERS

Among explorers, Richard Francis Burton ranks 73 out of 498. Before him are Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, John Davis, Xu Fu, Alonso de Ojeda, Willem Schouten, and Jules Dumont d'Urville. After him are Hernando de Soto, William Dampier, Jeanne Baret, Ármin Vámbéry, Diego Columbus, and Lope de Aguirre.

Most Popular Explorers in Wikipedia

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1821, Richard Francis Burton ranks 12. Before him are August Schleicher, Lola Montez, Elizabeth Blackwell, Auguste Mariette, Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria, and Louis Vuitton. After him are Pauline Viardot, Johann Josef Loschmidt, Arthur Cayley, Henri-Frédéric Amiel, Andrew Kim Taegon, and Anita Garibaldi. Among people deceased in 1890, Richard Francis Burton ranks 13. Before him are Amadeo I of Spain, César Franck, Duchess Helene in Bavaria, Joseph Merrick, Henri Nestlé, and Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. After him are William Kemmler, Niels Gade, John Henry Newman, Princess Zorka of Montenegro, Louis Le Prince, and Gottfried Keller.

Others Born in 1821

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Others Deceased in 1890

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In United Kingdom

Among people born in United Kingdom, Richard Francis Burton ranks 596 out of 8,785. Before him are Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809), David Attenborough (1926), Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange (1631), William McMaster Murdoch (1873), Philippa of Lancaster (1360), and Eleanor Marx (1855). After him are Pope Adrian IV (1100), Cecily Neville, Duchess of York (1415), Robert Carlyle (1961), Nigel Farage (1964), Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales (1453), and Annie Besant (1847).

Others born in United Kingdom

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Among EXPLORERS In United Kingdom

Among explorers born in United Kingdom, Richard Francis Burton ranks 11. Before him are William Baffin (1584), Robert Falcon Scott (1868), William Adams (1564), John Smith (1580), Henry Hudson (1570), and John Davis (1550). After him are William Dampier (1651), James Clark Ross (1800), Robert FitzRoy (1805), Mary Kingsley (1862), Thomas Cavendish (1560), and George Vancouver (1757).

British born Explorers

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