Almost all children living in and near Banjul attend school, but only about one-third of the children in other parts of Gambia go to school. Most schoolchildren complete a six-year primary course, but only a few go to secondary schools. Gambia has a technical school in Banjul and a teacher-training college in Yundum. The Gambia River rises in Guinea and winds through Gambia before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Small oceangoing ships can sail up the river from the Atlantic as far as Kuntaur.
Mangrove swamps line the riverbanks from the coast to the center of the country.
Near the coast, salt water from the tidal reaches of the Gambia River floods the banto faros, ruining the soil. Farther inland, areas that the river floods with fresh water during the wet season are used to raise rice. Beyond the banto faros, sandy plateaus extend from both sides of the river into Senegal. Farmers raise peanuts and rice on the plateaus. Inland areas get less rainfall.