The Gambia, formally the Republic of The Gambia, is a small country in western Africa. It is the smallest country in mainland Africa. The surface area of ​​”The Gambia” is about a quarter of that of the Netherlands. The country has approximately 1.9 million inhabitants. The capital is Banjul, the largest city is Serekunda.

Geography

According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER, the Gambia is a small country in West Africa that actually encompasses the banks of the tidal river The Gambia. It is almost entirely enclosed by Senegal and measures 325 kilometers inland from the coast, but only 50 kilometers from north to south. The Gambia is a wide river which divides the country into a north bank and a south bank. The terrain consists largely of lowlands to low hills. The ‘Red Rock’ is the highest point in the country at 53 meters.

The country has a tropical climate with maximum temperatures between 30 and 34°C all year round. From November to May there is virtually no precipitation, but from July to September there is a lot of precipitation, so that on an annual basis there is still 1000 mm per year.

Demographics

The country grew from 270,000 inhabitants in 1950 to 1.2 million in 2000 and almost 2 million today. See Gambia population density. The population is relatively urbanized by African standards, largely around the capital Banjul and in the suburbs. The suburb of Serekunda is bigger than Banjul itself.

The Gambia is home to many small ethnic groups, without one being the majority. English is the official language of The Gambia and is relatively widely spoken. Mandingo is spoken by 38% of the population, Fula by 21% and Wolof/Serer by 18%. Knowledge of French is also relatively high.

Economy

The Gambia is one of the poorest countries in the world. About 70% of the population works in agriculture. The country has virtually no raw materials or industry. Tourism does play a relatively important role, as an English-speaking destination with good weather. There is widespread poverty in rural areas.

History

The first foreigners in the area were Arab traders. From the Middle Ages, the area was part of the Kingdom of Mali. In the mid-15th century, Portuguese traders reached the coastal region. In 1588 the Portuguese sold the trade rights around the Gambia River to the English. From the late 17th century, the area was the scene of a power struggle between the English and the French. In 1783, in a treaty of Versailles, the rights over the Gambia River were given to the English. Bathurst was founded in 1816 as a military base, later to become the city of Banjul. The Gambia gained self-government in 1962 and became independent from the United Kingdom in 1965.

As an independent country, The Gambia has made a name for itself as a cheap tourist destination. The country has known no serious conflicts, but has seen political instability, and at times Senegalese interference.

Road Network

The Gambia’s road network is limited, and actually consists of the North Bank and South Bank roads, which run along the banks of the Gambia. There were no bridges over the Gambia River in Gambia for a long time, the first bridge was located just outside the Gambia in Senegal. There are therefore a number of ferry services that are also used for traffic within Senegal so as not to have to make the long journey around The Gambia. There are no motorways in The Gambia, but there is a 2×2 road between Banjul and Serekunda and the airport of Banjul which is located at Serekunda. There are several border crossings with Senegal, almost all of which are paved. The paved road network is approximately 950 kilometers long, quite a lot for such a small country. In the center of Banjul all roads are paved, but in the suburbs this is not the case. Between 2006 and 2014 140 kilometers of the Trans-Gambia Highway was asphalted. Between 2015 and 2019 a bridge was built over the Gambia River south of Farafenni. The bridge opened on January 21, 2019. This was the first bridge over the river in the country.

Road numbering

There is no road numbering in The Gambia.

Signage

Signage hardly seems to exist in The Gambia.