Banjul | national capital, The Gambia | Britannica.com national capital, The Gambia Basse Santa Su Banjul, formerly (until 1973) Bathurst , city, capital, and Atlantic port of The Gambia , on St. Mary’s Island, near the mouth of the Gambia River . It is the country’s largest city. It was founded in 1816, when the British Colonial Office ordered Captain Alexander Grant to establish a military post on the river to suppress the slave trade and to serve as a trade outlet for merchants ejected from Senegal , which had been restored to France . Grant chose Banjul Island (ceded by the chief of Kombo) as the site, which he renamed St. Mary’s. He named the new settlement for Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst , then colonial secretary. It became the capital of the British colony and protectorate of Gambia and after 1947 was governed by a town council. With The Gambia’s independence in 1965, the town was granted city status and became the national capital. The name was changed to Banjul in 1973. Port of Banjul, Gambia.

© Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock.com Banjul is The Gambia’s commercial and transportation centre. It has several peanut (groundnut) decorticating plants and oil mills; peanuts, peanut oil and meal, and palm kernels are exported. Tourism is of increasing importance, alleviating some of the urban unemployment problem and encouraging handicraft (wood carvings, filigree jewelry, hand-dyed cloth) industries. Banjul is connected with the interior and Senegal via a 3-mile (5-km) ferry northward across the Gambia River (to Barra) and by the Banjul-Serekunda Highway. A regular steamer service operates to Basse Santa Su , 242 miles (389 km) upstream. The Gambia’s international airport is at Yundum, 18 miles (30 km) southwest. Street vendors at the port of Banjul, Gambia. © Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock.com The nation’s educational centre, Banjul has the Gambia High School (1958), two Roman Catholic secondary schools, a Muslim high school, a vocational school, and a public library.

Associated with the city’s Royal Victoria Hospital (1957) are the Gambia School of Nursing (1964), a mental hospital, a tuberculosis sanatorium, and a home for the infirm. Almost half of the city’s population is Wolof , but the Aku (descendants of freed slaves), Malinke (Mandingo), Mauritanian, and Lebanese communities are significant minorities. Banjul has a mosque and Anglican, Catholic, and Methodist churches. Pop. (2013 prelim.) 31,301; urban agglom., 758,153. Learn More in these related articles: Banjul, Gambia | Capital information Tour Operators INTRODUCTION: Banjul, officially the City of Banjul (former name Bathurst until 1973), is the capital of the Republic of The Gambia , in West Africa, as well as the administrative centre of the country and the seat of government . The port city has a population of about 31,000 and is divided into 3 districts. Its land area is 12 sq km (4.6 sq.

mi), and it is located on Saint Mary's Island, at the southern part of the Gambia River ria estuary. The flat island was leased by the British colonial government , from the King of Kombo, for 103 iron bars per annum in 1816, and the Bathurst settlement was named after the Secretary of State for the British Colonies, Lord Henry Bathurst. ARRIVAL: The Banjul capital is not usually the first stop for most visitors on flights to The Gambia; after landing at Yundum Airport , most tourists go straight to the beach resort hotels along the Atlantic coast, which are mostly in Bijilo , Brufut , Kololi , Kotu and Kerr Sering . There is however the beach based, 4 star, Atlantic Hotel . There are three routes into the capital. If you are travelling by road from southern Gambia, the coastal resorts or from the airport past Serrekunda , you take the Banjul-Serrekunda Highway, driving past thick banks of mangroves in the Tanbi Wetland Complex to your right, on the way to Oyster Creek, which separates the mainland from the island, and is traversed by Denton Bridge .

After the bridge, the road traces the west coastline of St. Mary's Island, until forking at Independence Drive, with Arch 22 in front of you, Wallace Cole Road to your right, Marina Parade to your left. The second route is to detour just before the city by turning right into Bund Road, this takes you to the ports area. The third route is from the north bank of the Gambia River or northern Senegal, through the Amdalai / Karang border crossing; you go by road to the ferry terminal at Barra (Niumi District) on the north bank of the Gambia River, from which a scheduled ferry service takes you across the river to the terminal on Liberation Avenue in city's southern commercial district. Outside the terminal turn right to go towards the Royal Albert Market and the Atlantic Hotel; turn left and follow the Kankujereh Road north west to connect with the highway heading back towards Serrekunda . ACCOMMODATION: Despite its distinctive appearance, The Gambia's capital city can't be thought of as everyone's idea of the idyllic holiday resort. Banjul has only one tourist-class hotel, the Atlantic Hotel .

There are also a batch of 1 or 2 star hotels and guest houses in the centre of town, serving mostly travelling Africans. The best of these are a little tatty, while the worst often charge an hourly rate. However, even some of these are worth checking out for a budget-priced experience. THE TOWN: Banjul's commercial centre is around the docks at the city's east end. Despite the port's small size it is a critical entryway for imports as well as exports, and the roads near the waterfront are often jammed with trucks and lorries waiting to load newly arrived consignments such as sugar, rice and cooking oil as they are offloaded from container ships. Some merchandise are destined for stores on Liberation and Ecowas Avenue as well as the Royal Albert Market, others get transported inland and to other countries in West Africa via entrepot. The area just inland from the port is Banjul's main shopping sector.

You won't find shopping malls, large supermarkets or even shops with glass window displays as the business of buying and selling is carried out in a rather casual way on the pavements, in the main market, or in simply laid out shops jammed together along the ground floors of former colonial trading houses and more modern buildings. You will see numerous street hawkers, many of them from Senegal and Guinea, peddling sunglasses, counterfeit CDs, car steering wheel covers, auto air fresheners and other small items. The best time to go sightseeing on foot to enjoy the architecture is after 5pm or on Saturdays and Sundays, when many businesses have closed for the day and private sector workers depart for the Kombos. Some of the oldest houses you might see are made of kirinting - bamboo weave houses covered in plaster and often painted with whitewash. These were often the homes of poorer African immigrants on Bathurst island constructed in the early part of the 19th century. Many were still built into the 20th century and can be found along Mam Mberry Njie Street, Essa Faal Street, McDonnel Street and James Senegal St.

From around the 1830s came the next development in house style with the arrival of Christian Aku settlers from Freetown, Sierra Leone, to the island who introduced sturdier, Krio style wooden houses. Towards the end of the 19th century the French, Portuguese and British merchants built trading houses typically with wrought-iron colonnades at ground level and roofed balconies on the first floor that can still be seen along ECOWAS Avenue, Rene Blaine Street and Liberation Avenue. On the north of the town is the Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (RVTH), government ministries in the Quadrangle, law courts on Independence Drive and the new parliament building just past the Arch 22 on the highway leading out of the entrance to the capital. There are also a number of mosques in the capital. The first mosque was built in the 19th century called the Independence Drive Mosque, renamed the Masjid Abu Bakar Saddiq in 2014. Then there is the King Fahad Mosque, constructed in 1988 and named after Saudi Arabian King. It dominates the skyline at the north of the city and is one of Banjul's most recognisable landmarks.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO: Low-rise, often scorching, compact and teeming with mosquitoes in summer, it's not an instantly appealing place. Its concreted streets seem to exude pulses of oppressive heat during the humid rainy season, with some smaller roads suffering occasional floods, which can prohibit leisurely shopping strolls and exploration around town. During the winter season it's an entirely different affair; a lot cooler and dryer, this is the time when most tourist visitors arrive with their tour operators or as independent travellers. The city however, is too compact to provide many of the expected amenities and diversions of a capital, and evening life is virtually unknown. The vast majority of workers leave the city after working hours and head south to their homes off of the island and onto the mainland districts of the Kombos. This maybe because from about the mid 1980s a gradual exodus of families out of the city and into the Kombos was well underway. ï¿½ Arch 22 As you approach the end of the main highway leading into Banjul you will see to your right the rather futuristic looking parliament building.

Then straight ahead is a roundabout with a statue of a soldier in the centre holding a small child, and above and behind is the Arch 22 , which stands astride at the entrance to Independence Drive. Standing high at 35m it is a huge, cream-coloured, free-standing monument, built to commemorate the 22 July, 1994 bloodless coup when a young army officer, Yahya Jammeh , took control of the country by ousting President Jawara. It offers great views over the city, coastal areas, the river and the mangroves of the Tanbi Wetland Complex. The skyline of Banjul is also graced by the twin minarets of the King Fahad Mosque and the State House, built by the Portuguese. On the top floor is a small museum housing ethnographic Gambian artifacts such a traditional textiles, agricultural tools and weapons such as bamboo bows and arrows and wooden swords. ï¿½ Albert Market One of the biggest tourists attractions in Banjul is the Royal Albert Market ; it is a relaxed and oddly organised version of the everything-under-the-Sun style of market ubiquitous throughout West Africa. It is a maze of stalls and shops adequately spaced by paved walkways.

Behind the main front faï¿½ade, arcade, is two floors of numbered and roller-shuttered shops. On the top floor tailors work in booths side by side. In the first entrance alley you walk past the gauntlet of hawkers and ghetto blasters on both sides, giving you stereo music from different tracks. The food stalls offer typical West African cooking ingredients such as yellow, orange and deep red chili peppers, tamarind, Okra (ladies fingers), bitter tomatoes, smoked catfish, very pungent, chopped and dried sea snails, dark palm oil , peanut past, a salted and dried pungent fish called 'gaija'. There are also seasonal fruits on display such as oranges, lemons, mangos, papaya and watermelons as well as imported apples and grapes. Groceries are sold in variable quantities, from rice by the cup full to cooking oil in 20 litre plastic bottle containers.

There are also stalls offering beauty products like shea butter, lipstick, hair-extensions, hand-made and imported soap, and household items of every kind such as buckets, cups, fans, flip-flops, sunglasses, perfumes, incense, fulano powder, traditional medicines, clocks, key-holders etc. There are some good bargains to be had in clothing from the Far East, and fabrics such as wax prints, cottons and designed damask in vibrant colours. There is also a brisk trade in second-hand garments which arrive in Gambia mostly from Europe. You can find a number of fetish stalls, selling goat horns, loose cowrie shells, African trade beads, kola nuts and the aptly named bitter kola and much more. As you go deeper into the market you will find the Banjul Tourist Craft Market (bengdula). There is a varied selection of batiks, leather goods, cheap and valuable jewellery such as bangles, silver necklaces and bracelets, djembe drums, etc. There are also a few stalls selling antiques such as wooden masks from the West Africa region.

ï¿½ Commercial Area Albert Market spills out into the neighbouring road called Liberation Avenue and adjacent roads, where stores and stalls sell mostly cheaper, low quality clothing and footwear, plus a potpourri of household items and counterfeit CDs. There are also fabric importers who also distribute to the public on a retail basis, and offer an excellent range of imported fabrics in African and overseas designs. You can find many goods often sold at higher prices in Europe a lot cheaper in and around the market - as for quality the old doctrine of caveat emptor applies. Remember that as a general rule you need to try to haggle prices down by 30% to 40% lower than the initial asking price - 1/3 reduction is a good, general rule to remember. If you can't agree on a price then walk away, many will call you back, and that is a sign they are prepared to go lower, even if they don't say so immediately. A worthwhile place to visit is the shop at the St. Joseph's Adult Education and Skills Centre. Based inside a colonial Portuguese building, the centre has provided skills training to disadvantaged women aged between 16 - 26 for over two decades.

Here you can buy handmade clothes, knitted items, embroidered purses or take a tour of the of sewing, crafts and tie-dye classes. It is open weekdays in the mornings to early afternoons except for Friday when they close at mid-day. (Tel no: +220 4228836, email: stjskills@qanet.com ). Around the vicinity are banks and bureau de change, where you can change your foreign currency or your travellers' cheques, as well as some small but clean restaurants. ï¿½ Gambia National Museum The museum is in Banjul's northern sector on Independence Drive and was officially opened on 18th February, 1985. Within the pleasant front garden of tamarisk and palm there is a drinks stand and shaded seating area as well as toilets, administrative buildings and stores. The building used to house the Bathurst Club house consisting of European members only. Even though it is quite small, cramped, and dimly lit, it contains some interesting, though sometimes not easy to find, artifacts - some a bit dog-eared, yearning for restoration.

As you are about to enter the main hall you will see a Kankurang mask 'guarding' the door. Inside the display hall you will find numbered exhibits in a semblance of a circuit, from the late 19th and 20th centuries. You can find colonial era written and printed ephemera, including a passenger ticket from Bathurst to Liverpool on board the Elder Dempster Line's 'MV Apapa' - a so called a banana boat, bananas being one of the chief exports of the Gold Coast at the time. There is also a gathering of Oku marabout (Yoruba) pieces such as a bridal basket, waist beads called 'bin bin', an engagement calabash gourd, which would hold the bride's kola nuts, dowry and other oddments. The museum also collects books, colonial maps, traditional music string instruments, cooking utensils such as large wooden mortars and pestles, large calabash gourds, Neolithic pottery, masks, the bau / worro (holed board game), handicrafts, large paper model boats called fanals , prehistoric tools, historical documents and photographs relating to the material culture of The Gambia.

In some of the dimly lit corners, you'll see, among the crumbling ethnographic pieces, revealing old maps, papers and information about local migrations and conflicts in the Senegambia region, a few captivating pictures of kora players called jali, as well as masked dance ceremonies from an earlier era. Don't miss the life-sized Kankurang - a potent spirit incarnate, covered in baobab bark (from whom women, children and the uncircumcised must hide). (Tel no: 4226244, Email: musmon@qanet.gm ) ï¿½ Bird Watching If you are keen on birdwatching then head toward the most southerly road in the Banjul capital called the Kankujereh Road (Bund Rd.) which passes through bird rich saltwater wetland habitats with numerous bird species. It goes past the Gambia River estuary mudflats to your left with its rusting, mud sunken ships which are home to cormorants and pelicans roosts. At low tide, the mudflats are used as feeding grounds by striated herons, African spoonbills, gulls, waders and terns.

To your right is some re-claimed land followed by the Tanbi Wetland Complex of mangroves to your right and left. Here you might spot black headed plover, yellow billed storks, little grebe, or the Senegal thick-knee. The best time to go is when there is light traffic such as after 11 am up to 5pm, but Fridays after 3pm and weekends are the best times to visit. Note: much of the area is strewn with scarp metal so sturdy boots and a stick might be useful. ï¿½ Sports Fishing You could also go back towards the Denton Bridge and hire a local pirogue (long canoes - some with an outboard motor) which can take you out on the quiet waterways of Oyster Creek, which are rich fishing grounds for keen anglers. The dense mangroves are particularly interesting and home to around 70 species of fish and other wildlife such as tilapia, mullets, Atlantic mudskippers, shrimps, crabs and mangrove oysters. The fish fauna are of pelagic or demersal species in the fry, juvenile or sub-adult stages.

You can also pick up a larger, more professional boat to take you up river or for some blue ocean sports fishing. ï¿½ Restaurants & Nightlife Banjul has an acute dearth of restaurants , especially in the evenings, but there is still some good quality basic food served from local diners and fast food establishments during the day. The Ali Baba Snack Bar serves European and Lebanese snacks, dishes, cold drinks, and freshly squeezed fruit juices. It's ideally located in the commercial district and close to the market and shops. On the same road is the King of Shawarma Cafe which has similar Middle Eastern cuisine plus dishes like fish & chips. If you feel the need to sit at a beach bar and restaurant facing the Atlantic ocean then try Nefertiti Beach Bar , just off the entrance of Marina Parade, near the Arch 22. It is at the end of the road leading past the registrar of companies and near the Atlantic Hotel; it is Lonely Planet's top choice among the places to eat. There is virtually nothing in the capital city by way of night clubs as most people have left the town by 7pm, not to return until the next working day.

The only night spot worth visiting for tourists is at the Atlantic Hotel, which is elegant, air conditioned, and opens till late. The people who do hang out in the evening are usually Gambians and foreigners, in front of their accommodation, drinking Attaya or visiting friends nearby, otherwise the streets are virtually empty. The only sounds you'll hear in the early evening are the various, distant calls of the muezzin, from minaret loudspeakers. ï¿½ Other Attractions Other places to see in Banjul are the War Memorial & Fountain, near MacCarthy Square, erected to commemorate the coronation of Britain's King George VI in 1937. You can also visit MacCarthy Square which is surrounded by a colonial atmosphere, with eye-catching 19th-century architecture. It is used for public events such as Independence Day ceremonies, open concerts and cricket. There is also a children's playground with a modern play area which has colourful slides, swings, rocking horses and a small course. HEALTH & SAFETY: Though a capital, Banjul has a typically relaxed small-town ambiance.

If you have business to get on with, whatever you need to accomplish here can usually be done in relative safety - and at less than three square kilometres, the town can easily be crossed by foot. The police security presence, after the bridge crossing, is low-key. It's a town with individuals always on the move, so take the same safety precautions as in any urban area during the evenings. There is also a fire station in town. TRAVEL INFORMATION: To get to the Banjul capital from the resorts takes about 20 minutes by car from the main resorts of Kololi and Kotu . The cost of a typical taxi fare for such a trip can vary between the cheaper yellow taxis and the more expensive green taxis . When leaving the city there are two taxi ranks available: one is on the Independence Drive opposite the Gambia National Museum - if you want to go to Bakau , and the other is on the Mosque Road, with yellow cabs and assorted mini-vans going to Serrekunda (Westfield Junction) and Brikama Town . If you want more exclusive travel then ask for a 'Town Trip' to your destination. There are costlier green taxis outside the Atlantic Hotel.

Having said all this you can pick up a cab anywhere, at any time, assuming they are empty and you wish to travel alone. If you are going north across the Gambia River you can take the ferry service to Barra (7am to 11pm - tel no: 422 8205). ï¿½ Travel update: As at 14 June, 2016, the Bund Road (Kankujereh) has been closed for over one and a half years and is still undergoing resurfacing 'works'. Wallace Cole Road (Box Bar) is also still closed to traffic right up to Lasso Wharf, so the only traffic route into the heart of the capital is via Marina Parade, and onto Independence Drive. Google Map of Banjul, The Gambia - Nations Online Project About Banjul Satellite view is showing Banjul (until 1973 known as Bathurst), the capital of The Gambia , a narrow strip of land extending 325 km (200 mi) from its small coastline eastward along both banks of the lower course of the Gambia River.

Banjul ferry Image: Niels Broekzitter The smallest country on mainland Africa has an area of 11,295 km², it is about the size of one third of Belgium or slightly less than twice the size of Delaware. The country is surrounded completely by Senegal . In the beginning of the 19th century, the British, who ruled slave trade illegal in 1807, established Bathurst on St. Mary island (Banjul island) to combat the trade of African slaves (before that time they were themselve profoundly involved in the trade). Banjul is located just 14 km east of the country's largest city Serrekunda (Sara Job Kunda) on Banjul Island (or St. Mary's Island) on the Gambia River estuary to the Atlantic Ocean. The port city has a core population of about 35,000 inhabitants, but more than 500,000 live in its metropolitan area. The majority of the people are Muslims (90%). Spoken languages are English (official), Mandinka, Fula, Wolof and other West-African languages.

The City of Banjul is the administrative, economic, and transport center of the nation, and is home to the Central Bank of the Gambia. Attractions for visitors are the Gambia National Museum, Arch 22, the distinctive gateway to Gambia's capital, and there is Albert Market, a big traditionel Gambian market. 12 km west of Banjul lies Bakau a seaside resort at the Atlantic Ocean with beaches at Cape Point, the town is known for its botanical gardens and for the sacred crocodile pool of Bakau Kachikally. The map shows a city map of Banjul with expressways, main roads and streets, zoom out to find the location of Banjul International Airport (Yundum International) ( IATA code : BJL) about 26 km (16 mi) southwest of the city center. To find a location use the form below. To find a location type: street or place, city, optional: state, country.

Local Time The Gambia: West Africa Time (WAT): UTC / GMT +1 h φ Latitude, λ Longitude (of Map center; move the map to see coordinates): , Google Earth: Searchable Map and Satellite view of Banjul, Gambia. City Coordinates: 13°27′11″N 16°34′39″W Bookmark/share this page The Gambia: a guide to the jewel of West Africa Sign up for Newsletter The Gambia: a guide to the jewel of West Africa The Gambia is a small, beautiful, and welcoming country on the coastline of West Africa. It’s also one of the most exciting in terms of economic growth and business opportunities. Surrounded to the north, east and south by Senegal, this long, slender tropical paradise faces the Atlantic Ocean to the west, on what is known as ‘the sunshine coast’. Its main river, also named The Gambia, is approximately 700 miles long, and travels from the sea at Banjul across nearly the entire length of the country. The current population is estimated at 1.7 million.

As well as “The River’, the country’s most notable features include several stunning beaches, a number of protected nature reserves, and popular shopping markets. The gateway to West Africa The Gambia is often called ‘the gateway to West Africa’, as it’s easy to reach from America, Canada, and just six hours flight from the UK. Most recently, a new national carrier for the country, Gambia Bird Airlines Ltd, began flying into London Gatwick for the first time, forging a dynamic link between the two countries as well as the rest of the continent. A thriving tourist industry The Gambia enjoys almost uninterrupted sunshine, which has contributed to its successful tourist industry. Visitors are attracted by its rich culture, diverse scenery, and its welcoming people. There is a high standard of hotels and holiday apartments in The Gambia. Visitors can choose from a range of memorable excursions, including village and coastline tours, river cruising, bird watching, fishing and horse riding. You can search for holiday lettings at or places to stay here Growth and prosperity Over the past few decades, The Gambia and its capital Banjul in particular has become a dynamic business hub, attracting investment from both within the country and all over the world.

This has been made possible due to its steady growth and stability since President Jammeh became President in 1994. The government invested heavily in the country’s infrastructure, including its electricity, water and roads. It has also encouraged investment in manufacturing, property and the financial services industry, and has made improvements to education and health. To find out more about businesses and property in The Gambia visit Click here View The Gambia in a larger map The Republic of The Gambia, commonly known as The Gambia, or Gambia is a country in West Africa. The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, bordered to the north, east, and south by Senegal, with a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The country is situated around the Gambia River, the nations namesake, which flows through the countrys centre and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Its area is almost 10,500 km² with an estimated population of 1,700,000. On 18 February 1965, The Gambia was granted independence from the United Kingdom and joined The Commonwealth. Banjul is The Gambias capital, but the largest conurbation is Serekunda.

The Gambia shares historical roots with many other West African nations in the slave trade, which was the key factor in the placing and keeping of a colony on the Gambia River, first by the Portuguese and later by the British. Since gaining independence in 1965, Gambia has enjoyed political stability.

Female: 18 years ( 2008 est.) Population Growth Rate: 2.724%(2008 est.) Birth rate: 38.36 birth/1000 Population (2008 est.) Death rate: 1.74 birth/1000 Population (2008 est.) Ethnic groups: African 99% ( mandinika 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, Other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census) Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, Indigenous beliefs 2% Languages: English(official) , Mandinika, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars Transportation: Airports – with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047m: 1 (2007) Airports – with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047m: 1 (2007) Waterways: 390 km (on river Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 19

0 km) (2008) Ports and terminals: Banjul Agricultural Products: rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),palm kernels, cattle, sheep, goats Industries: Processing peanut, fish, and hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing Communication: Gambia - List of African Countries List of African countries Questions to which this page has the answer to What is the population of Gambia?

What is the currency of Gambia? What is the capital of Gambia? What languages are spoken in Gambia? Notes Last updated 21 may 2009 Gambia Gross domestic product per capita $ 2,002 * Daily Observer Gambia: 'My Aim is to Solve All of Your Problems' In Galleh Manda in CRR, the Gambian leader tasked Gambians, especially the youths to work extra hard to develop the country [source] fourteenth century, most of what is today called The Gambia was a tributary to the Mali Empire. The Portuguese reached the area by sea in the mid-fifteenth century and began to dominate trade. In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, António, Prior of [source] The Gambia is a country in West Africa and is the smallest country on the continent of Africa. It has a short North Atlantic Ocean coastline in the west and is surrounded by Senegal so that it is almost an enclave [source] the Atlantic, is navigable throughout The Gambia and is the main transport artery.

Along The Gambia's coast are fine sand beaches; inland is the swampy river valley, whose fertile alluvial soils support rice cultivation. Peanuts, the country's chief cash crop, and [source] Gambia News : Gambia's poverty level is 58% - Report imageThe level of poverty in the Gambia, based on per capita consumption, the head counts index (the percentage of poor people), accounts for 58 per cent, according to the 2003 Household Poverty Survey [source] Gambia was settled by various companies of English merchants. Slavery was the chief source of revenue before it was abolished in 1807. Gambia became a British Crown colony in 1843 and an independent nation within the Commonwealth of Nations on Feb. 18, 1965 [source] three sides by Senegal, Gambia is twice the size of Delaware. The Gambia River flows for 200 mi (322 km) through Gambia on its way to the Atlantic. The country, the smallest on the continent, averages only 20 mi (32 km) in width.

[source] The Gambia is a small independent republic on the bulge of Africa and forms part of the West African Region. It consists of a narrow strip of land on either side of the Gambia River and is almost surrounded by Senegal [source] The international time zone for the Gambia is GMT and the international dialling code is +220. The airlines which fly to the Gambia are British Airways, Nigerian Airways and Ghana Airways and the national carrier, Gambia Airways. As at January 1996 visas are [source] that time, The Gambia was part of the Kingdom of Mali. In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, Antonio, Prior of Crato, sold exclusive trade rights on The Gambia River to English merchants; this grant was confirmed by letters patent from Queen [source] arrow Climate The Gambia is generally recognized as having perhaps the most agreeable climate in West Africa. There is a sub-tropical climate with distinct dry and rainy seasons.

The dry season is from November to May with the Harmattan wind keeping the humidity low [source] current situation: The Gambia is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls, and to a lesser extent boys, are trafficked for sexual exploitation - in [source] Gambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking; The Gambia failed to report any trafficking arrests, prosecutions, or convictions in 2007, and the government demonstrated weak victim protection efforts during [source] The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport About Us | Banjul, The Gambia - Embassy of the United States Banjul, The Gambia - Embassy of the United States About Us Welcome Message Welcome to the Embassy of the United States of America in Banjul, The Gambia.

Located on Kairaba Avenue in the Fajara District of Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia, the U.S. Mission consists of two U.S. Government agencies: the Department of State, with 9 American and 65 locally employed staff, and the Peace Corps, with 3 American staff and 105 volunteers. The Gambia became independent in 1965. It is a small, poor West African country defined by the Gambia River basin. It is almost completely surrounded by Senegal, a country with which it shares many historical, ethnic, and cultural affinities. However, the British colonized The Gambia, and the French colonized Senegal, giving each country a distinctive colonial language and system of government. Since independence, The Gambia has remained a member of the British Commonwealth. The Gambia is predominantly Muslim and has a population of 1.3 million, of which about half are non-Gambians. Restoration of democracy. From independence in 1965 until a coup d’état in 1994, The Gambia was one of the few functioning democracies in Africa. Following the coup, the restoration of democratic rule required seven years.

In late 2001 and early 2002, The Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which international observers deemed generally free and fair, despite some irregularities. President Yahya Jammeh, who had seized power in 1994, was duly elected president in October 2001. Lifting of bilateral sanctions. In March 2002, the U.S. Government determined that a democratically elected government had assumed office in The Gambia. The U.S. thus lifted the sanctions it had imposed under Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act as a result of the 1994 coup. Modest bilateral development assistance and military assistance has resumed. Even under sanctions, the U.S. had continued humanitarian, democracy-building, and education assistance, as well as a large Peace Corps program. A weak economy. With an annual per capita income of less than $300 and a GDP of $389 million, The Gambia ranks among the world’s poorest countries. It has a liberal economy based on subsistence agriculture, tourism, and re-exports. The main cash crop is peanuts. It may have untapped oil and gas reserves.

AGOA eligibility. The Gambia qualified for trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in January 2003 and re-qualified in January 2004. It is eager to increase exports to the U.S. market, though it lacks the industrial or agro-industrial basis necessary to produce most exportable products. Poor public health. Major health problems include malaria, reproductive health care, and HIV/AIDS, although seroprevalence remains low (HIV1 = 1.2%, HIV2 = 0.9%) compared to many other African countries. Despite the government’s focus on public health and education, hospitals and schools continue to be poorly equipped and under funded. Positive shift in foreign policy. Following the 1994 coup, The Gambia turned toward Libya and other problem states for aid. The U.K., the EU, and, much later, the U.S. renewed their assistance programs. Since 2001, The Gambia has re-oriented its foreign policy in a more positive direction. War on terrorism. President Jammeh publicly condemns tribalism, terrorism, and religious extremism, including Islamic fundamentalism.

The Gambian government has provided steadfast, tangible support for the war on terrorism. Although The Gambia once served as a transit point for illicit arms, conflict diamonds, and narcotics, such trafficking is no longer officially tolerated. This site is managed by the U.S. Department of State. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Day 01 Arrival in Gambia You will take a flight to Banjul, the capital city of Gambia. Gambia is one of the worlds poorest countries with a backward economy mainly depend on tourism. Banjul is the smallest capital in Africa and a tourist attraction. Upon arrival, you will head to the hotel and then have a good rest. Day 02 Banjul Start the visit of Banjul in the Morning. Banjul in the Mandé language means Bamboo Island. In 1816, the English founded Banjul as a trading post and secret base for slave trade. Banjul is located in the tropical grassland, the annual average temperature is around 25°C, the annual rainfall is about 1150 mm and the rainy season spans from June to October.

The city is surrounded by beautiful scenery of tropical grassland and fascinating beaches. Today, you will visit the market in Banjul and National Museum of the Gambia which is not big but exhibit many historical photographs, maps and documents depict during the Africans and the colonial era. In addition, you will also visit the batik factories, monuments and other attractions. Day 03 Abuko Nature Reserve Today’s tour will take you to visit the Abuko Nature Reserve and Brikama Carving Center. Abuko Nature Reserve is the prime wildlife reserve of this country. You will walk around the protected areas and see monkeys, chimpanzees, many species of birds, and some wild animals like crocodiles, lions and antelopes during the way. After finishing the visit of Abuko Nature Reserve, you will head for the famous wood carving market in the village of Kama Bray. At last, you will return to Banjul. Day 04 Juffure You will have a full day sightseeing tour in Juffure.

Black American writer Alex Haley published Roots: the Saga of an American Family, a novel based on his familys history, starting with the story of Kunta Kinte, kidnapped in 1767 when he cut wood on James Island and transported to the United States to be sold as a slave and then began his family history of hardship. In other words, Juffure is the root of Alex Haley. Day 05 Cruise on River Gambia Today you will have a cruise tour on river Gambia which is one of the best African waterways and the only seagoing vessel navigable river in West Africa. During the trip, you may see many dolphins. Along the way you will experience the African country life in Mandingo Village and participate in the small-scale cultural festival there. You will also visit some historical sites along the river, such as James Island, Albreda Slave market and so on. Day 06 Free Day Today, you are scheduled to have a whole day for free activities. You can go to the beach for relaxation, or go shopping or join the short one-day trip. In the evening, you may take part in the farewell dinner and enjoy the local traditional entertainment.

Day 07 Departure from Gambia There is no tour arrangement in the morning. After lunch, you will transfer to the airport for the departure flight and end the splendid Gambia journey.

Question: Banjul is the capital of which African country?
Answer: Gambia