Gambia
Africa · Banjul · GM
The Gambia is the smallest country of the African mainland, the narrow sliver of the land that follows the river of its name from the Atlantic deep into the heart of Senegal, a country of the river life, the mangrove creeks and the relaxed beach resorts of the coast. The capital of the Banjul, crowded on its island at the mouth of the river, and the commercial town of the Serekunda hold the modern life of the nation, while the river itself, the great waterway of the country, carries the history of the slave trade, the colonial trading posts and the steamer travels of the explorers inland. The country is famous for the birdwatching of its reserves, the sacred crocodile pools, the Casamance forests of the beaches and the resilience and the warm hospitality of its people. Small, gentle and genuinely welcoming, the Gambia offers the easy introduction to the West Africa and the river journeys of the interior.
Overview
Gambia is a country in Africa. Its capital is Banjul and the international dialling code is +220. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English. Local currency is the Dalasi (GMD). We also list 1 city in Gambia: Banjul.
The River of the Gambia and the Cruises of the Water
The river of the Gambia, the great waterway that gives the country its name and its shape, flows from the interior of the continent through the green floodplains, the mangroves and the villages of the banks to its wide mouth on the Atlantic. The cruises of the river, from the short boats of the birdwatchers on the lower reaches to the longer expeditions towards the interior of the country, thread through the channels of the delta and past the rice fields, the fishing villages and the forested banks rich with the birds and the monkeys. The river towns of the decks, the markets at the wharves and the pirogue crossings of the everyday give the waterway its lively, essential role in the life of the whole country, and the sunsets on the river with the birds of the shore are the classic image of the Gambia.
The Island of the James and the Memory of the Fort
The island of the James, the small outcrop of the river upstream from the coast, carries the remains of the fort that the colonial powers built and rebuilt as the trading post of the river, and the island and its fort are recognised as the world heritage of the dark history of the slave trade. The rival merchants and the traders of the competing nations struggled for the control of the island, and the warehouse of the fort became the holding place where the enslaved Africans were kept before the journeys across the ocean, a memory that the monuments and the museum panels of the site now honour. The nearby village of the Juffure, associated with the famous historical account of the root of the Kunta Kinte, and the colonial relics of the river complete the sobering, essential visit of the story.
The Crocodiles of the Kachikally and the Pools of the Sacred
The sacred crocodile pools of the country, the most famous of them the pool of the Kachikally on the edge of the capital, hold the large crocodiles that the local belief considers the guardians of the health, the fertility and the good fortune of the people. The pools, quiet ponds in the green of the suburbs, welcome the visitor to the close approach of the basking crocodiles, and the guides and the caretakers of the pool, the custodians of the sacred site, explain the traditions of the offerings and the benefits of the shrine. The museum and the craft village beside the pool and the other sacred sites of the country, from the centre of the country to the coast, give the insight into the living spiritual world of the Gambia.
The Capital of the Banjul and the Market of the Albert
The capital of the Banjul, the small tropical town on the island at the mouth of the river, is the historic and administrative centre of the country, founded by the British in the early nineteenth century and still ringed by the ramparts and the water of its island site. The famous market of the Albert, the great covered market of the town with the stalls of the textiles, the produce and the crafts, is the lively heart of the commerce of the capital, and the museum of the national heritage and the arch of the gate at the entrance of the town hold the story of the nation and its struggle. The port of the capital, the ferry terminals and the fish market of the harbour complete the busy picture of the small, characterful city of the river mouth.
The Beaches and the Forests of the Atlantic Coast
The coast of the country, the short stretch of the Atlantic shoreline of the south that forms the main resort area of the nation, holds the beaches of the Kokadi, the palm-backed strands of the hotels and the sea of the warm, calm waters of the shore. The forests of the coast, the pockets of the primary woodland and the plantations of the resorts, protect the monkeys of the green vervet, and the reserve of the Abuko, the oldest of the national reserves of the country, holds the enclosures, the trails and the waterholes of the wildlife of the region. The birdwatching of the coast, the hundreds of the species of the forests, the wetlands and the sea, is the great draw of the Gambian nature, and the sunset views of the river mouth from the beach complete the relaxed picture of the shore.
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- Capital
- Banjul
- Currency
- Dalasi (GMD)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +220
- Internet TLD
- gm
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Gambia.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Gambia?
Banjul is the capital of Gambia, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Gambia?
You pay with Dalasi (GMD) in Gambia. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Gambia?
The languages we list for Gambia are English. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Gambia?
The dialling code for Gambia is +220 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Gambia do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Gambia: Banjul (capital).