The Gambia

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief and drainage
- Soils and climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance and trade
- Services
- Transportation
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Precolonial history
- European colonization
- British protectorate
- Independence, confederation of Senegambia, and economic troubles
- 1994 coup, 1996 presidential election, and new constitution
- Jammeh’s rule: rising discontent, attempted coups, and human rights complaints
- 2016 presidential election, Jammeh’s standoff, and ECOWAS intervention
- Barrow’s first term: Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission; Constitutional Review Commission; and change in term length
- 2021 presidential election, Barrow’s inauguration, and TRRC final report

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

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.

At a Glance

default image

The Gambia summary

The Gambia: Media

Images

The Gambia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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.

The Gambia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

port of Banjul, Gambia

port of Banjul, Gambia

Port of Banjul, near the mouth of the Gambia River in The Gambia.

Kjell Johansson/Ostman Agency

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.

The Gambia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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.

Physical features of The Gambia

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Sandy beach in Gambia with tall palm trees, gentle waves, and people walking along the shoreline under a clear sky.

The Gambia

Beach on the Atlantic coast of The Gambia.

© Alan Kraft/Shutterstock.com

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.

Gambia River

Fishermen on the Gambia River near Banjul, Gambia.

© Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock.com

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.

The Gambia

A woman and child in The Gambia.

© Andrej Grzegorczyk/Shutterstock.com

Vendors in colorful clothing sit behind tables displaying tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables at a busy open-air market in Farafenni, Gambia, with shoppers walking by.

The Gambia

Merchants selling produce at a traditional market in Farafenni, Gambia.

© Vladimir Zhoga/Shutterstock.com

rice harvesting

rice harvesting

Farmer harvesting rice, Kuntaur, Gambia.

Photo Research International

kora

kora

A Gambian kora.

Wesleyan Virtual Instrument Museum 2.0 (https://wesomeka.wesleyan.edu/vim2)

A woman wearing a blue headscarf holds a young child with beaded hair in her arms, both looking toward the camera in an outdoor setting in Banjul, Gambia.

The Gambia

A woman and child in Banjul, Gambia.

© Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock.com

President-elect Adama Barrow smiles and waves in Kololi, Gambia, surrounded by supporters and a cameraman after his 2016 election victory.

Adama Barrow

President-elect Adama Barrow waving to his supporters following his victory in the...

© Joe Sinclair/AFPTV—AFP/Getty Images

Gambia, The

Gambia, The

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of The Gambia

The instrumental version of the national anthem of The Gambia.

Interactives

The Gambia: Ethnic composition

The Gambia: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The Gambia: Religious affiliation

The Gambia: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The Gambia: Urban-rural

The Gambia: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The Gambia: Age breakdown

The Gambia: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The Gambia: Major import sources

The Gambia: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The Gambia: Major export destinations

The Gambia: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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