The Gambia: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa. It is a long, thin strip of land in West Africa that follows the Gambia River inland from the Atlantic coast, and it is surrounded by Senegal on every other side. Its capital, Banjul, sits on an island at the river's mouth, and about 2.5 to 2.8 million people live in the country. The Gambia is known as 'the Smiling Coast of Africa' and for its beaches, river life and birds.

On My Earth Toy you can see Arch 22, a 35-metre gateway over the main road into Banjul, built to mark the change of government in July 1994. It has a viewing gallery at the top and a small museum.

Geography and nature

The country is mostly flat and never more than about 50 kilometres wide, stretching around 300 kilometres along the river. Near the coast the river is wide and salty, lined with mangroves; farther upstream it flows through savanna and farmland. More than 500 kinds of birds have been recorded, making the Gambia popular with birdwatchers. River Gambia National Park protects chimpanzees, hippos and crocodiles.

People, languages and culture

English is the official language, and Mandinka, Fula, Wolof and other languages are widely spoken. Most people are Muslim. Music is important, and griots, traditional storytellers and musicians, play the kora, a harp-like instrument with 21 strings. Domoda, a peanut stew served with rice, is a national dish, and peanuts are a major crop. At the Kachikally pool in Bakau, people visit sacred crocodiles.

History in a nutshell

The region was once part of great West African empires such as Mali. The Senegambian stone circles, including those at Wassu, were raised many centuries ago. Europeans arrived in the 1400s, and Kunta Kinteh Island in the river became a centre of the Atlantic slave trade; it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Gambia became a British colony and gained independence on 18 February 1965, later becoming a republic in 1970.