Republic of The Gambia
The Smiling coast of West Africa
Historical Background
The Gambia was once part of various large African empires, including the Serrahule and Mandinka empires of the 5th and 6th centuries. The country's modern history is closely linked to the Gambia River. It is believed that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to navigate the river in 1455, but it was not recognized as a European possession until 1783, when the British claimed the river and its surrounding territory. It became a formal British colony in 1888 and remained so until February 1965, when The Gambia became an independent state and a member of the Commonwealth.
The climate is sub-tropical with distinct dry and rainy seasons. The dry season lasts between November and May with average temperatures between 21 - 27 degree C. During the rainy season between June and October it is very humid and the average temperature is around 26 - 32 degree C.
Agriculture employs the majority of the labour force. About half of the arable land is used for growing peanuts, the major export, but cotton, rice, millet, maize, fruit, vegetables, and sorghum are also grown, and The Gambia exports seafood to Europe. In the past decade, however, tourism has been the mainstay of the economy and an important source of foreign exchange. In 1966 there were only 300 tourists, but in 2002 they were estimated at over 100,000.
For further information please see following links:
General information about The Gambia
Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism
With 11,300 sq km The Gambia is the smallest country of the African continent. It stretches along both sides of the river Gambia. While its widest part measures only 45 km, its length reaches as much as 475 km.
The river Gambia as heart of the country
