Discover Gambia. 10 interesting facts.
The Republic of Gambia is located on Africa's westernmost tip.
The Atlantic Ocean washes its shores, and the Gambia River runs through the heart of
the country.
It is the smallest country on the African continent.
Banjul is the country's capital.
Slavery and colonialism have had a significant impact on the history of this country.
Despite this, the Republic of Gambia has persevered and is moving forward.
It is surrounded by the Gambia River and occupies a long, narrow strip of land.
The area is flat and dominated by the river, which runs the length of the country and is
navigable.
The Gambia is one of several African countries with a long history, one that began with the
slave trade as one of the primary drivers of development.
Following the end of Portuguese sovereignty, the British Empire acquired the regions and
founded the Province of Senegambia in 1765.
The Gambia was recognized an independent republic two centuries later, with Elizabeth II as
its first Queen.
Gambia is now mostly known for being a popular tourist destination.
Despite the fact that the country's environment allows visitors to visit all year, eateries
and golden-sand beaches are never congested.
People who want to spend their vacations alone can simply locate a private beach where they
can relax and replenish their energy reserves.
Unfortunately, few people are familiar with the country's life and culture, which merits
special attention.
Today, we decided to change that by presenting facts to our readers that would help them
understand more about the Gambia and its people.
Let's have a look at these facts.
10.
Relief and Drainage.
The Gambia River is the most prominent feature in the country.
It flows across a Miocene-Pliocene sandstone plateau composed of compacted material dominated
by quartz grains that developed between 23.7 and 1.6 million years ago.
Narrow valleys are separated from each other in the east by broad interfluves or flattish
hills.
Lower and smaller sand hills alternate with sand-filled depressions to form a flat plain
in the west.
9.
Soils and Climates The Gambia has a wet-and-dry tropical climate
with an intense rainy season that lasts roughly from June to October and a longer dry season.
The rainy season lasts longer along the coast, and rainfall is greater, with rainfall decreasing
eastward.
The average annual rainfall at Yundum is around 50 inches, and the mean monthly temperature
is in the upper 70s F, but the comparable values at Basse Santa Su, about 270 miles
(435 kilometers) inland, are about 40 inches and the low 80s.
The relative humidity is high, but it declines from December to April when the harmattan,
a dry northeastern breeze, takes over.
8.
Ethnic groups The river basin served as a transit point
for persons fleeing the turbulence of western Sudanese warfare dating back to the 12th century.
The Diola (Jola) are the country's oldest inhabitants; they now live primarily in western
Gambia.
The Malinke are the largest ethnic group, accounting for roughly one-third of the population.
The Wolof, who are the majority in Senegal, are also the majority in Banjul.
The Fulani populated the upper reaches of the river, and their kingdom, Fuladu, rose
to prominence in the late 1800s.
In the upriver districts, the Soninke, a combination of Malinke and Fulani, are also found.
7.
Language.
The Gambia's official language is English.
The Gambia, like most former British colonies, has kept the colonialists' language.
English was adopted during the colonial period and has remained the predominant language
of instruction in schools long after the colonial period ended.
It's also utilized in trade and enterprises.
However, English is only spoken as a first language by about 1,000 Gambians, and it is
spoken as a second language by 40,000 others.
Given the country's population of 1.9 million people, indigenous languages definitely outnumber
English, however the most commonly spoken languages are mainly from the Atlantic branch
of the Niger-Congo family.
Mandinka and Wolof are the official languages of the country, while Pulaar (Fulbe), Serer,
Diola, and Soninke are also spoken.
6.
Religion.
The majority of the population is Muslim.
There are a limited number of Christians, mostly Roman Catholics, as well as some traditionalists.
Islam arrived in this section of West Africa via the Sahara early in the second millennium
and swiftly established itself as the dominant religion, with the majority of the population
converting.
However, unlike more strict Islamic countries, there is no strict adherence to Sharia Law,
and while the majority of the population of modern-day Gambia devotedly follows the basic
tenets of Islam and does not eat pork or consume alcohol, there is no obvious evidence of religious
affiliation in dress or behavior.
Even the two main mosques in Serrekunda and Banjul, while being widely visited, are unostentatiously
ornamented – the muezzin's hypnotic call to prayer is sometimes the only indication
they are present.
This is a country that is religiously dedicated but wears its faith casually.
5.
Economy.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing.
Peanuts (groundnuts) are the most lucrative agricultural commodity in Gambian agriculture,
which can be classified as a classic monoculture.
The slash-and-burn method is used to clear land, although farmers exercise conservation.
The peasants own the majority of the land.
Men work on cash crops such cassava (manioc), yams, eggplant, tomatoes, rice, and lentils,
while women work on subsistence crops like cassava (manioc), yams, eggplant, tomatoes,
rice, and lentils.
Citrus orchards can be found near Banjul in the western part of the country.
With the growing use of fertilizers and ox-drawn equipment, as well as the introduction of
superior seeds, peanut production has increased.
The government has pushed rice growing in order to diversify the economy.
Plantation oil palm production was introduced as a trial scheme in the mid-1960s, but it
had little impact on the national economy.
Stock farming, which has traditionally been a part of Fulani culture, has also received
government backing, although the size of herds has been limited due to reasons such as insufficient
animal husbandry techniques and a lack of suitable pasture and water.
Droughts in the 1970s and 1980s wreaked havoc on agricultural production, especially upriver.
However, the country was not as badly affected as other countries in the region, and recovery
has been gradual.
4.
Resources and power.
The Gambia contains a small number of mineral resources that have been exploited.
Clay, sand, and gravel are dug in small quantities for local usage.
Foreign investors have been given permission to explore offshore blocks for possible petroleum
and natural gas reserves, but no production has yet resulted from their efforts.
Although the Gambia River has hydropower potential, no dams are located inside the country's borders.
To meet the country's energy demands, oil is imported.
Electricity is only available in sections of Banjul and a few interior cities, and it
is inconsistent at best; the majority of Gambians lack access to modern infrastructure.
3.
Finance and trade.
The Gambia's official currency, the dalasi, is issued by the Central Bank.
There are also a number of private banks in the country.
For such a small country, the Gambia used to have a significant amount of trade.
However, in the early 1980s, the country experienced an annual negative balance of trade due to
drought-related losses.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the trade deficit persisted.
As more people, particularly young males, have moved to the metropolitan areas surrounding
Banjul, peanut production has decreased.
Cotton, rice, and cattle are among The Gambia's exports, in addition to peanuts.
Furthermore, reexporting items accounts for a significant component of the country's export
commerce.
Petroleum products, lumber, and cement are among the other commodities that must be imported.
Guinea-Bissau, Côte d'Ivoire, Vietnam, Spain, and Brazil are all trading partners.
Senegal is another important trading partner, though much of the trade is unofficial, and
smuggling of peanuts and other items into the country is a concern.
Gambia is heavily reliant on foreign help.
2.
Manufacturing.
Peanut processing is the country's most important industry.
The crop is sold to agents of The Gambia Groundnut Corporation (known as the Gambia Produce Marketing
Board until 1993), which sets the season's price in advance, pays the farmers in cash,
and exports the harvest.
The agents arrange for the peanuts to be transported to Banjul or Kuntaur, where they are shelled
and shipped.
A considerable portion of the crop is pressed into oil at pressing mills once it has been
shelled.
Cattle cake is made with the leftovers.
The construction business has risen in lockstep with the tourism industry's expansion.
Food, beverages, textiles, footwear, and wood goods are all examples of little industries.
Villages all around the country produce handicrafts and other small-scale local artisan industries.
1.Transportation The Gambia River has long been the primary
link between the interior and the coast, but a modern all-weather road now runs from the
eastern border to the coast, paralleling the river on both sides; subsidiary roads are
also available across the country.
The bulk of the roads in The Gambia are unpaved.
At Banjul and other sites where there are no bridges, ferries cross the river, and small
watercraft are common modes of transportation.
Although The Gambia International Airlines operates out of the international airport
in Yundum, southwest of Banjul, there are no trains or local air services.
Banjul is the principal port.
The Gambia is a great spot to spend some time and go on a tour.
While we're here, we tend to learn a lot about the people's cultural lives, as well as the
cost of living, transportation, and other topics.
We hope you enjoyed your trip of Gambia with us.
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