Republic of The Gambia
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Progress, Peace, Prosperity"
Anthem: For The Gambia Our Homeland
Capital		Banjul 13°28′N 16°36′W / 13.467, -16.6
Largest city		Serrekunda
Official languages		English
Demonym		Gambian
Government		Republic
-	President	Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh[1]
Independence
-	from the UK	February 18, 1965
-	Republic declared	April 24, 1970
Area
-	Total	10,380 km² (164th) 4,007 sq mi
-	Water (%)	11. The National flag of Gambia, designed by Pa Louis Thomasi consists of a horizontal tricolour of red blue and green The Coat of arms of The Gambia has been in use since 18 November 1964 A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's For The Gambia Our Homeland is the anthem of The Gambia, written by Virginia Julie Howe and composed by Jeremy Frederick Howe (based on the traditional Mandinka Banjul (formerly Bathurst officially the City of Banjul, is the Capital of The Gambia, and located within the division of the A wide variety of ethnic groups live in The Gambia, each preserving its own language and traditions with minimal intertribal friction Serrekunda (or Serekunda) is the largest city in The Gambia, lying southwest of Banjul. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Chronological list of heads of state of The Gambia (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office Latest election Sources Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions  Areas between 10000 km² and 100000 km² are listed here This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 5
Population
-	2007 United Nation estimate	1,700,000 (150th)
-	Density	153. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 5/km² (74th) 397. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$3. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 094 billion (171st)
-	Per capita	$2,002 (144th)
Gini (1998)		50. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion most prominently used as a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth 2 (high)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 502 (medium) (155th)
Currency		Dalasi (GMD)
Time zone		GMT
Internet TLD		.gm
Calling code		+220

The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, commonly known as Gambia, is a country in Western Africa. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dalasi is the currency of The Gambia. It is subdivided into 100 bututs ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Greenwich Mean Time ( GMT) is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. It is the smallest country on the African continental mainland and is bordered to the north, east, and south by Senegal, and has a small coast on the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Flowing through the centre of the country and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean is the Gambia River. The Gambia River is a major River in Africa, running 1130 km (700 miles from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward to the On 18 February 1965, The Gambia became independent from the former British Empire and joined The Commonwealth. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Banjul is its capital but the largest conurbation is Serekunda. Banjul (formerly Bathurst officially the City of Banjul, is the Capital of The Gambia, and located within the division of the A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population Serrekunda (or Serekunda) is the largest city in The Gambia, lying southwest of Banjul.

History

Main article: History of The Gambia

In 10th century, communities of Muslim merchants and scholars became established in several of West Africa’s commercial centres and the trans-Saharan trade route for gold, ivory and trade came about. The modern-day Gambia was once part of the Ghana, Mali and Songhai Empires The first written accounts of the region come from records of Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Ivory is formed from Dentine and constitutes the bulk of the Teeth and Tusks of animals such as the Elephant, Hippopotamus, By the 11th or 12th century, the rulers of kingdoms such as Takrur(a kingdom centered on the Sénégal River just to the north), Ancient Ghana and Gao had converted to Islam and had appointed Muslims who were literate in Arabic as advisors^[2] . A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The Sénégal River is a 1790 km long River in West Africa, that forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania. The first written accounts of the region come from records of Arab traders in the ninth and tenth centuries AD. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, most of what is today called The Gambia was a tributary to the Mali Empire. The Mali Empire or Manding Empire or Manden Kurufa was a Medieval West African civilization of the Mandinka from c The Portuguese reached the area by sea in the mid-fifteenth century and began to dominate the lucrative trade. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. In 10th century, communities of Muslim merchants and scholars became established in several of West Africa’s commercial centres and by the 11th or 12th century, the rulers of kingdoms such as Takrur, Ancient Ghana and Gao had converted to Islam and had appointed Muslims who were literate in Arabic as advisors (63). Today Gambia is 90% Muslim (56) and Koranic schooling constitutes a long-standing parallel system of education throughout the country.

In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, António, Prior of Crato, sold exclusive trade rights on the Gambia River to English merchants; this grant was confirmed by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of Portuguese António Prior of Crato (ɐ̃ˈtɔniu Lisbon, 1531 – Paris, August 26, 1595; sometimes rarely called The Determined, The The Gambia River is a major River in Africa, running 1130 km (700 miles from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward to the In 1618, James I granted a charter to a British company for trade with Gambia and the Gold Coast (now Ghana). James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James This article is about the British colony in west Africa 1821-1957 The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Between 1651-1661 some parts of Gambia were under Courland's rule, bought by prince Jacob Kettler, who was a Polish vassal. Courland (Kurzeme Kurland Latin: Curonia / Couronia; Kuršas Kuramaa Kurlandia Курляндия Курляндія Kuurinmaa is one of the historical Jacob Kettler (Jakob von Kettler 28 October 1610 &ndash 1 January 1682) was a Baltic German Duke of the Duchy of The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic A vassal (also called feodary or fedary) in the terminology that both preceded and accompanied the feudalism of Medieval Europe,

A map of James Island and Fort Gambia.

During the late seventeenth century and throughout the eighteenth, Britain and France struggled continually for political and commercial supremacy in the regions of the Senegal and Gambia rivers. The 1783 Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of the Gambia river, but the French retained a tiny enclave at Albreda on its north bank, which was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1857. Albreda is an historic settlement in The Gambia on the north bank of the Gambia River, variously described as a 'trading post' or a 'slave fort'

As many as 3 million slaves may have been taken from the region during the three centuries that the transatlantic slave trade operated. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another It is not known how many slaves were taken by inter-tribal wars or Arab traders prior to the transatlantic slave trade. The Atlantic Slave trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade, was the trade of African people supplied to the Colonies of the New World Most of those taken were sold to Europeans by other Africans; some were prisoners of intertribal wars; some were sold because of unpaid debts, while others were kidnapped. Slaves were initially sent to Europe to work as servants until the market for labor expanded in the West Indies and North America in the 18th century. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting In 1807, slave trading was abolished throughout the British Empire, and the British tried unsuccessfully to end the slave trade in The Gambia. They established the military post of Bathurst (now Banjul) in 1816. Banjul (formerly Bathurst officially the City of Banjul, is the Capital of The Gambia, and located within the division of the In the ensuing years, Banjul was at times under the jurisdiction of the British Governor General in Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. In 1888, The Gambia became a separate colonial entity.

An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries, and The Gambia became a British Crown Colony, British Gambia, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward self-government. A 1906 ordinance abolished slavery.

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including In general allies are people groups or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. Banjul served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC was the predecessor of the U U. S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the first visit to the African Continent by an American president while in office. The Casablanca Conference (codenamed SYMBOL was held at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco, then a French Protectorate, from January 14 to

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform increased. Following general elections in 1962, full internal self-governance was granted in the following year. The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965 as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Shortly thereafter, the government held a referendum proposing that an elected president replace the Gambian Monarch (Queen Elizabeth II) as head of state. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The referendum failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to The Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, civil rights and liberties. On April 24, 1970, The Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth, following a second referendum, with Prime Minister Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, as head of state. Events 1479 BC - Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (born May 16, 1924) was the first leader of The Gambia, serving first as Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970 and then as President

The Gambia was led by President Jawara, who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the Jawara era was shattered first by a coup attempt in 1981. The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, who, on two occasions, had unsuccessfully sought election to Parliament. After a week of violence which left several hundred people dead, Jawara, in London when the attack began, appealed to Senegal for help. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force.

In the aftermath of the attempted coup, Senegal and The Gambia signed the 1982 Treaty of Confederation. The Senegambia Confederation came into existence; it aimed eventually to combine the armed forces of the two states and to unify their economies and currencies. The Senegambia Confederation was a loose Confederation between the West African countries of Senegal and its neighbour The Gambia, which is almost The Gambia withdrew from the confederation in 1989.

The AFPRC deposed the Jawara government and banned opposition political activity. Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state. Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in 1997 and became responsible for registration of voters and conduct of elections and referendums. In late 2001 and early 2002, The Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which foreign observers deemed free, fair, and transparent, albeit with some shortcomings. President Yahya Jammeh, who was elected to continue in the position he had assumed during the coup, took the oath of office again on December 21, 2001. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The APRC maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly, particularly after the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office ^[1]

Politics

Marina Parade street.

Main article: Politics of the Gambia

See also: Heads of State of The Gambia, Foreign relations of The Gambia, and Military of The Gambia

Before the 1994 coup d'état, The Gambia was one of the oldest existing multi-party democracies in Africa. Politics of the Gambia takes place in a framework of a presidential Republic, whereby the President of The Gambia is both Head of state Chronological list of heads of state of The Gambia (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office Latest election Sources The Gambia followed a formal policy of nonalignment throughout most of former President Jawara's tenure The '''Gambian National Army numbers about 1900 The army consists of infantry battalions the national guard and the navy all under the authority of the Department of State for It had conducted freely contested elections every five years since independence. After the coup, politicians from deposed President Jawara's People's Progressive Party (PPP) and other senior government officials were banned from participating in politics until July 2001.

A presidential election took place in September 1996, in which retired Col. Elections in Gambia gives information on Election and election results in Gambia. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh won 56% of the vote. Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. Four registered opposition parties participated in the October 18, 2001, presidential election, which the incumbent, President Jammeh, won with almost 53% of the votes. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. The APRC maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly in legislative elections held in January 2002, particularly after the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections. The National Assembly is the Legislative branch of government in The Gambia. The United Democratic Party is a conservative Political party in The Gambia, affiliated to the International Democratic Union, founded in 1996

Jammeh won the 2006 election handily after the opposition coalition, the National Alliance for Development and Democracy, splintered earlier in the year. The voting was generally regarded as free and fair, though events from the run-up raised criticism from some. A journalist from the state television station assigned to the chief opposition candidate, Ousainou Darboe, was arrested. Additionally, Jammeh said, "I will develop the areas that vote for me, but if you don't vote for me, don't expect anything [1]. "

On the 21st and 22 March 2006, amid tensions preceding the 2006 presidential elections, an alleged planned military coup was uncovered. President Yahya Jammeh was forced to return from a trip to Mauritania, many suspected army officials were arrested, and prominent army officials, including the army chief of staff, fled the country. Yahya (Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born May 25, 1965) is the President of The Gambia. Mauritania (موريتانيا Mūrītāniyā officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country

There are claims circulating that this whole event was fabricated by the President incumbent for his own purposes; however, the veracity of these claims is not known, as no corroborating evidence has yet been brought forward.

The 1970 constitution, which divided the government into independent executive, legislative, and judicial branches, was suspended after the 1994 military coup. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity As part of the transition process, the AFPRC established the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) through decree in March 1995. A decree is an order made by a Head of state or government and having the force of Law. In accordance with the timetable for the transition to a democratically elected government, the commission drafted a new constitution for The Gambia, which was approved by referendum in August 1996. The constitution provides for a strong presidential government, a unicameral legislature, an independent judiciary, and the protection of human rights. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber

President Jammeh incurred widespread condemnation from the international community from his comments on May 15, 2008, warning gays in The Gambia to leave the country within 24 hours or else face beheading. [2]

Media

Critics have accused the government of restricting free speech. A law passed in 2002 created a commission with the power to issue licenses and imprison journalists; in 2004, additional legislation allowed prison sentences for libel and slander and cancelled all print and broadcasting licenses, forcing media groups to re-register at five times the original cost [3][4].

Three Gambian journalists have been arrested since the coup attempt. It has been suggested that they were imprisoned for criticizing the government's economic policy, or for stating that a former interior minister and security chief was among the plotters. [5] [6]. Newspaper editor Deyda Hydara was shot to death under unexplained circumstances, days after the 2004 legislation took effect. Deyda Hydara ( June 9, 1946 – December 16, 2004) was a co-founder and primary editor of The Point, a major independent

Licensing fees are high for newspapers and radio stations, and the only nationwide stations are tightly controlled by the government [7].

Reporters Without Borders has accused "President Yahya Jammeh’s police state" of using murder, arson, unlawful arrest and death threats against journalists. [8][9].

Divisions and districts

Main articles: Divisions of The Gambia and Districts of The Gambia

The Gambia is divided into five divisions and one city. |||} The Gambia is divided into five divisions (capitals in parentheses and one city Lower River ( Mansa Konko) Central River |||} The Gambia is subdivided into 37 Districts They are listed below by region |||} The Gambia is divided into five divisions (capitals in parentheses and one city Lower River ( Mansa Konko) Central River These are:^[3]

1. Lower River (Mansa Konko)
2. Central River (Janjanbureh)
3. North Bank (Kerewan)
4. Upper River (Basse)
5. Western (Brikama)

The national capital, Banjul, is classified as a city. Lower River is one of the five administrative divisions of The Gambia. Mansa Konko is a town in the Gambia, lying north of Soma. Formerly the home of an important chief it was later an Administrative centre under the Central River is the largest of the five administrative divisions of The Gambia. Janjanbureh or Jangjangbureh is a town founded in 1832, on Janjanbureh Island in the River Gambia in eastern Gambia. North Bank is one of the five administrative divisions of The Gambia. Kerewan is a town in The Gambia, Build by Mamadi Safiyatu Fatty some 400 years ago Upper River is one of the five administrative divisions of The Gambia. Basse Santa Su, usually known as Basse, is a town in The Gambia, lying on the south bank of the River Gambia. Western Division is one of the five administrative divisions of The Gambia. Brikama is one of the largest cities in The Gambia, lying south of Banjul in the Western Division. Banjul (formerly Bathurst officially the City of Banjul, is the Capital of The Gambia, and located within the division of the

The divisions are further subdivided into 37 districts. |||} The Gambia is subdivided into 37 Districts They are listed below by region Of these, Kombo Saint Mary (which shares Brikama as a capital with the Western division) may have been administratively merged with the greater Banjul area. Brikama is one of the largest cities in The Gambia, lying south of Banjul in the Western Division. ^[4]

Geography

Main article: Geography of The Gambia

Map of The Gambia

The Gambia is a very small and narrow country whose borders mirror the meandering Gambia River. The Gambia is a very small and narrow country with the border based on the Gambia River. The Gambia River is a major River in Africa, running 1130 km (700 miles from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward to the The country is less than 48 km wide, with a total area of 11,300 km². Its present boundaries were defined in 1889 after an agreement between the United Kingdom and France. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. It is almost an enclave of Senegal, and is the smallest country on the continent of Africa. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa.

Economy

Main article: Economy of The Gambia

The Gambia has a liberal, market-based economy characterized by traditional subsistence agriculture, a historic reliance on groundnuts (peanuts) for export earnings, a re-export trade built up around its ocean port, low import duties, minimal administrative procedures, a fluctuating exchange rate with no exchange controls, and a significant tourism industry. The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base

Agriculture accounts for 29% of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 75% of the labour force. Within agriculture, peanut production accounts for 6. 9% of GDP, other crops 8. 3%, livestock 5. 3%, fishing 1. 8%, and forestry 0. 5%. Industry accounts for 12% of GDP. Manufacturing, which accounts for 5. 5% of GDP, is primarily agriculturally based (e. g. , peanut processing, bakeries, a brewery, and a tannery). Other manufacturing activities include soap, soft drinks, and clothing. Services account for 19% of GDP.

The UK and the other EU countries (Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium) were the major source of imports, at 60% of the total share of imports, followed by Asia at 23%, and Cote d'Ivoire and other African countries at 17%. The Gambia reports 11% of its exports going to and 14. 6% of its imports coming from the United States.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of The Gambia

A wide variety of ethnic groups live in The Gambia with a minimum of intertribal friction, each preserving its own language and traditions. A wide variety of ethnic groups live in The Gambia, each preserving its own language and traditions with minimal intertribal friction The Mandinka tribe is the largest, followed by the Fula, Wolof, Jola, and Serahule. The Mandinka (also known as Mandingo) are one of the largest Ethnic groups in West Africa with a population estimated at eleven million. The Fula or Fulbe or Fulani (the latter being an Anglicisation of the word in their language Fulɓe) are an ethnic group of The Jola ( Diola in French transliteration are an Ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. The approximately 3,500 non-African residents include Europeans and families of Lebanese origin (roughly 0. 23% of the total population).

Muslims constitute more than 90% of the population. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Christians of different denominations account for most of the remainder. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Gambians officially observe the holidays of both religions.

More than 63% of Gambians live in rural villages (1993 census), although more and more young people come to the capital in search of work and education. Provisional figures from the 2003 census show that the gap between the urban and rural populations is narrowing as more areas are declared urban. While urban migration, development projects, and modernization are bringing more Gambians into contact with Western habits and values, the traditional emphasis on the extended family, as well as indigenous forms of dress and celebration, remain integral parts of everyday life.

Tourism

The tourism industry today in The Gambia started when a party of 300 Swedish tourists arrived in 1965. [1] That pioneering trip was organized by a Swede named Bertil Harding together with the tour operators Vingresor. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. It was seen as an ideal place to escape the harsh winter months of Scandinavia where Europeans would enjoy not only sun, sand and beaches but also experience the excitement of a real African holiday. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Moreover due to its proximity to Europe, it also offered new opening for an affordable holiday to increasing numbers of traveling Europeans.

The number of visitors increased from 300 tourists in 1965 to 25,000 visitors in 1976. ^[5] The number of tourists has continued to rise sharply throughout the years, and as the government is eager to diversify the economy, it recognized tourism as a potential major foreign exchange source of revenue. However, despite increasing popularity as a tourist destination, infrastructure development has been slow. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids

Popular attractions

• Banjul
• Juffure
• Bakau Kachikally
• Janjanbureh

Other facts

• The Gambia was the first and last British colony in West Africa. Banjul (formerly Bathurst officially the City of Banjul, is the Capital of The Gambia, and located within the division of the Jufureh, Juffureh or Juffure is a town in Gambia, lying 30 kilometers inland on the north bank of the River Gambia in the North Bank The Kachikally crocodile pool is located in the heart of Bakau about 10 miles (16 km from the capital Banjul. Janjanbureh or Jangjangbureh is a town founded in 1832, on Janjanbureh Island in the River Gambia in eastern Gambia. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent.
• In his 1977 Pulitzer Prize-winning book Roots: The Saga of an American Family, Alex Haley traced his family back to Kunta Kinte, enslaved from the village of Juffure on the north bank of The Gambia. The Pulitzer Prize, ˈpʊlɨtsɚ PULL-it-sər is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in Newspaper journalism, Roots The Saga of an American Family is a Novel written by Alex Haley and first published in 1976. Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11 1921–February 10 1992 was an American Writer. Kunta Kinte is the central character of the Novel, Roots The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley, and of the television mini-series Jufureh, Juffureh or Juffure is a town in Gambia, lying 30 kilometers inland on the north bank of the River Gambia in the North Bank
• En route to Casablanca for a conference and then to Liberia, U. The Casablanca Conference (codenamed SYMBOL was held at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca, Morocco, then a French Protectorate, from January 14 to Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first serving U. S. president to visit the African continent when he stopped in Banjul in 1943. [10]
• In the 1930s, The Gambia was a transit point for the German airline Lufthansa's transatlantic mail service. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Three aircraft were lost during this period [11].
• Yundum Airport was an emergency landing site for NASA space shuttles. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program NASA 's Space Shuttle, officially called the Space Transportation System ( STS) is the Spacecraft currently used by the United States [12]
• "The" was inserted into the country's official name to further distinguish it from Zambia. The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa.

Miscellaneous topics

• Music of The Gambia
• Communications in The Gambia
• List of birds of The Gambia
• Public holidays in The Gambia
• Transport in The Gambia
• Military of The Gambia
• Ninki Nanka

References

External links

• State House and Office of the President
• [13]
• Wikimedia Atlas of the Gambia
• Gambia travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: the Gambia
• the Gambia entry at The World Factbook
• The Gambia at the Open Directory Project
• The Rough Guide to The Gambia Travel guide blog