It is officially called the Republic of The Gambia or The Gambia. Gambia Gambia is a poor country. It has relatively little fertile soil and no valuable mineral deposits. Tropical crops grow well near the mouth of the river. However, most farmers in Gambia earn a living by raising peanuts.
Peanuts account for most of the country's income.
James Island, in the Gambia River, was once a slave trading center from which slaves were shipped to the West Indies and America. All or part of what is now Gambia was controlled by the English from the 1660's to 1965, when Gambia became an independent nation. View Table Facts in brief about Gambia Government. In 1996, Gambia adopted a new constitution. The president of Gambia is the head of state and is elected by the people to a five-year term.