Gambia Facts & Worksheets

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The Gambia, officially called the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is surrounded almost entirely by Senegal, with the Atlantic Ocean bordering the nation on the western coastline. The country is the smallest country on the mainland of Africa.

See the fact file below for more information on the Gambia or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Gambia worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

ETYMOLOGY

• The word “Gambia” is derived from the Mandinka term Kambra/Kambaa, meaning Gambia River (or probably from the sacred Serer Gamba, a special type of calabash beaten when a Serer elder dies).
• As per the CIA World Factbook, the United States Department of State, the Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World, and the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use, The Gambia is one of two countries whose self-standing short name for official use should start with the word “The” (the other country being The Bahamas).
• Upon independence in 1965, the country applied for the name The Gambia.
• Following the proclamation of a republic in 1970, the long-form name of the country became the Republic of The Gambia.
• The administration of Yahya Jammeh modified the long-form name to the Islamic Republic of The Gambia in December 2015.
• On January 29, 2017 President Adama Barrow turned the name back to the Republic of The Gambia.

GEOGRAPHY

• The Gambia is a very small and narrow country with a total land area of 11,300 square km. Its borders mirror the meandering Gambia River.
• It lies between latitudes 13° and 14°N and longitudes 13° and 17°W, with the capital city being Banjul and the largest city being Serekunda.
• About 11.5% of The Gambia’s area is covered by water.
• The Gambia is the smallest country on the African mainland. In comparative terms, The Gambia has a total area slightly smaller than that of the island of Jamaica.
• Senegal encompasses The Gambia on three sides, with 80 km (50 mi) of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean marking its western extremity.
• The country has a tropical climate. A hot and rainy season usually lasts from June until November, but from November until May, cooler temperatures with less precipitation prevail.

HISTORY

• The Gambia’s first known settlers were the Jola, or Diola, tribe people, which now make up 10% of the total population.
• In 1455, the first Europeans to reach The Gambia were Antoniotti Usodimare and Luiz de Cadamosto, who were Portuguese captains.
• The Gambia was formerly a member of Mali and the Kaabu Empires.
• The Portuguese were the first Europeans to build trade with the Kingdom of Mali and The Gambia. However, in 1588, the Portuguese sold their trading rights to Britain.
• In 1661, British Settlement built the first slave trade in The Gambia.
• The country was a major exporter of slaves. It’s estimated that three million slaves were sold to European slave ships.
• In 1888, the country became an official British colony.
• Slavery was abolished in the country in 1906.
• The Gambia became a completely independent country in 1965.
• In 1994, Yahya Jammeh took over the government in a military coup.

PEOPLE

• The people of The Gambia are called Gambian(s).
• The total population of The Gambia is 2,051,363 (est. in 2017).
• The official language is English, including some national languages, which are Mandinka, Jola, Serer, Wolof, and Fula.
• The Gambia’s national anthem is “For The Gambia Our Homeland”, and the national motto is “Progress, Peace, Prosperity”.
• The Gambia’s major religion is Islam, which accounts for 90% of the population, with the remaining 10% being local religions and Christianity.
• The country gained independence from the United Kingdom on February 18, 1965.

ECONOMY

• The currency used is called Dalasi (GMD).
• Natural resources are scarce in the country, but they have fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, and petroleum.
• The major industries are beverages, woodworking, processing peanuts, agricultural machinery assembly, clothing, metalworking, fishing, and tourism.
• The country makes $132 million on the exportation of fish, palm kernels, cotton lint, peanuts, and peanut products. Meanwhile, it spends $201 million on the importation of fuel, machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured items, and foodstuff.

Gambia Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Gambia across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Gambia worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Gambia, officially called the Republic of The Gambia, which is a country in West Africa. It is surrounded almost entirely by Senegal, with the Atlantic Ocean bordering the nation on the western coastline. The country is the smallest country on the mainland of Africa.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• The Gambia Facts
• Fascinating Facts
• Truth or Trash
• The Gambia Timeline
• Complete Me
• World’s Smallest Countries
• Economic Facts
• Package Tours
• Baboon Island
• Nickname for The Gambia
• What’s New?

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Link will appear as Gambia Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 1, 2020