Gambia

Overview

The Gambia is a small, narrow country along the length of the Gambia River in West Africa , almost completely surrounded by Senegal . Besides beaches and wildlife, The Gambia is known for the town of Juffureh , made famous by Alex Haley's Roots . It is known as the Smiling Coast. Famed for its warm winter weather, the Gambia's inland landscape provides lush river scenery and spiritual cultures.

The Gambia essentially consists of the flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills — the highest point is just 53 m above sea level, and it is less than 50 km across at its widest point.

Before the arrival of the Europeans, oral traditions preserved most of The Gambia's history. The Wassu Stone Circles are thought to be evidence of early settlement; however, not much is known about them. The territory of present-day The Gambia became part of the Mali Empire in the 14th century.

Historically, culturally, and linguistically tied to Senegal, The Gambia was split from its neighbour in the 18th century by European powers. Most of the region was taken over by France, but a narrow piece of land around The Gambia River was ceded to Great Britain. This small area eventually became The Gambia.

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK on 18 February 1965. A constitution was written on 24 April 1970, before being suspended in July 1994 and subsequently rewritten and approved by national referendum on 8 August 1996. It was re-established in January 1997.

Planning your route

There are two types of cabs: green ones (tourist cabs) and yellow ones (regular cabs). Green cabs are expensive and the price is regardless of the number of passengers. Although there is no vehicle testing system in The Gambia, these taxis must have basics such as seat belts and working indicators. Yellow taxis are much cheaper and the price depends on the number of persons in the cab. They are used mainly by locals, and in many tourist areas they are prohibited from picking up tourists. Often it is worth it to walk a little to get a yellow taxi.

Motorcycle taxis are also frequently available in the country. Try to negotiate the price beforehand and note that having luggage may also add to the cost, though you probably don't want to be carrying much luggage if you are using a motorcycle anyway.

Sights and landscapes

The Gambia is a small and narrow country whose borders mirror the meandering Gambia River . It lies between latitudes 13 and 14°N , and longitudes 13 and 17°W .

The Gambia is less than 50 kilometres (31 miles) wide at its widest point, with a total area of 11,295 km 2 (4,361 sq mi ). About 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) (11.5%) of the Gambia's area are covered by water. It is the smallest country on the African mainland. In comparative terms, the Gambia has a total area slightly more than that of the island of Jamaica .

The present boundaries were defined in 1889 after an agreement between the United Kingdom and France. During the negotiations between the French and the British in Paris, the French initially gave the British around 320 kilometres (200 mi) of the Gambia River to control. Starting with the placement of boundary markers in 1891, it took nearly 15 years after the Paris meetings to determine the final borders of the Gambia. The resulting series of straight lines and arcs gave the British control of areas about 16 kilometres (10 mi) north and south of the Gambia River.

The Gambia has a tropical savannah climate . A short rainy season normally lasts from June until September, but from then until May, lower temperatures predominate, with less precipitation . The climate in the Gambia closely resembles that of neighbouring Senegal, Mali , and the northern part of Guinea .

Culture and food

Although the Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, its culture is the product of very diverse influences. The national borders outline a narrow strip on either side of the River Gambia , a body of water that has played a vital part in the nation's destiny and is known locally simply as "the River". Without natural barriers, the Gambia has become home to most of the ethnic groups that are present throughout western Africa , especially those in Senegal .

Europeans also figure prominently in Gambian history because the River Gambia is navigable deep into the continent, a geographic feature that made this area one of the most profitable sites for the slave trade from the 15th through the 17th centuries. (It also made it strategic to the halt of this trade once it was outlawed in the 19th century.) Some of this history was popularised in the Alex Haley book and TV series Roots , which was set in the Gambia.

The music of the Gambia is closely linked musically with that of its neighbour, Senegal , which surrounds its inland frontiers completely. It fuses popular Western music and dance, with sabar , the traditional drumming and dance music of the Wolof and Serer people of Senegal .

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors) and Wikipedia article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.