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The Gambia
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The Gambia Map of The Gambia and surrounding region in West Africa, showing The Gambia's narrow territory along the Gambia River bordered by Senegal on all sides except the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Major cities such as Banjul, Bakau, and Georgetown are marked, and a locator inset highlights The Gambia's position within the continent. port of Banjul, Gambia Map of West Africa highlighting The Gambia, a narrow country along the Gambia River, bordered by Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean. Neighboring countries such as Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and others are labeled for regional context. Map showing the narrow country of The Gambia in West Africa, surrounded on three sides by Senegal and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The map highlights major physical features including the Gambia River, several national parks such as River Gambia National Park, Kiang West National Park, Niumi National Park, and Abuko Nature Reserve. An inset locator map shows The Gambia's position within the region of West Africa. Sandy beach in Gambia with tall palm trees, gentle waves, and people walking along the shoreline under a clear sky. Two Gambian fishermen stand on the bow of a colorful wooden boat, one waving while the other stands with arms crossed, with dense green trees along the riverbank in the background. The Gambia: Ethnic composition A Mandinka woman seen from behind wears a colorful blue and yellow patterned head wrap and dress, carrying a sleeping child on her back secured with a pink striped cloth.
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The Gambia: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

Geography

Oyeyemi Haffner, A New Geography of Senegambia (1981); and Hubert Deschamps, Le Sénégal et la Gambie, 3rd ed. updated (1975), are useful introductions. Arnold Hughes (ed.), The Gambia: Studies in Society and Politics (1991), provides a useful analysis of politics in The Gambia prior to the 1994 coup. Malcolm F. McPherson and Steven C. Radelet (eds.), Economic Recovery in The Gambia: Insights for Adjustment in Sub-Saharan Africa (1995), provides a useful economic analysis. An excellent work on a region of The Gambia is Donald R. Wright, The World and a Very Small Place in Africa (1997). A source of bibliographic information is David P. Gamble (compiler), The Gambia (1988).

History

Historical information may be found in Arnold Hughes and David Perfect, A Political History of The Gambia, 1816–1994 (2006); J.M. Gray, A History of the Gambia (1940, reissued 1966); Harry A. Gailey, A History of The Gambia (1965); Arnold Hughes and Harry A. Gailey, Historical Dictionary of The Gambia, 3rd ed. (1999); Charlotte A. Quinn, Mandingo Kingdoms of the Senegambia (1972); and S.A. Bakarr, The Gambia Yesterday, 1447–1979 (1980), a historical chronology.

Harry A. Gailey Andrew Clark

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Harry A. Gailey
  • Andrew Clark
  • Enid R.A. Forde
    Former Professor of Geography, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown.
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
In Government and society, updated the number of legislative seats. Aug 04, 2026
Country Profile: Removed Literacy rate and updated Form of government and footnote. Aug 04, 2026
Modified link of Web site: Official Site of the Republic of The Gambia. Jul 31, 2026
Add new Web site: CRW Flags - Flag of Gambia. May 10, 2024
Add new Web site: South African History Online - (The) Gambia. Jun 24, 2023
Add new Web site: globalEDGE - The Gambia: Introduction. Apr 28, 2023
Add new Web site: GlobalSecurity.org - The Republic of The Gambia - Introduction. Nov 14, 2022
Add new Web site: Official Tourism Site of the Gambia. Sep 05, 2022
In the History section, updated with events leading up to the December 2021 presidential election. Jan 24, 2022
Add new Web site: Interesting Facts for Kids - Interesting Gambia Facts. Oct 21, 2019
In the Economy section, updated trade data. Jul 17, 2019
In the People section, updated demographic data. Jul 17, 2019
Add new Web site: The Commonwealth - The Gambia. Jan 15, 2019
Add new Web site: Official Site of the Republic of The Gambia. Apr 11, 2018
Country Profile: Expanded country profile. Feb 07, 2018
In People section, added data charts. Jun 16, 2017
In Economy section, added data charts. Jun 16, 2017
Added locator map to the Introduction. Jun 16, 2017
Media added. Jun 16, 2017
Cross-references added. Mar 28, 2017
Media added. Jan 30, 2017
In History section, updated with the return of Barrow to The Gambia. Jan 27, 2017
In History section, updated with Jammeh stepping down and leaving the country. Jan 24, 2017
In History section, updated with the political standoff that saw the inauguration of Adama Barrow as president on January 19, 2017, and the refusal of Yahya Jammeh to step down. Jan 20, 2017
Country Profile: Updated the head of state and government. Jan 20, 2017
In History section, updated with the results of the December 2016 presidential election and the events leading up to it. Dec 02, 2016
Country Profile: Footnote revised for form of government. Mar 06, 2013
Deleted map. Mar 02, 2012
Country Profile: Added name of head of state and head of government, along with urban-rural, life expectancy, literacy, and GNI per capita statistics. Feb 27, 2012
In History, updated with the results of the November 2011 presidential election. Nov 28, 2011
National anthem added. Dec 21, 2010
In Government and society section, added that the government is identified as a multiparty republic. Mar 12, 2010
Country Profile: Updated area and population figures. Mar 12, 2010
Country Profile: Updated Official name. Oct 20, 2009
Article revised and updated. Oct 23, 2008
Bibliography revised and updated. Oct 23, 2008
Added new Web site: Library of Congress - The Gambia - Selected Internet Resources. Aug 08, 2006
Added new Web site: Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - The Gambia. Jul 25, 2006
Article added to new online database. Jul 26, 1999
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