40 Facts About Gambia

1.

Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa.

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2.

In 1765, the Gambia was made a part of the British Empire by establishment of the Gambia.

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3.

In 1965, the Gambia gained independence under the leadership of Dawda Jawara, who ruled until Yahya Jammeh seized power in a bloodless 1994 coup.

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4.

Gambia's economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and especially, tourism.

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5.

Gambia is one of a very small number of countries for which the definite article is commonly used in its English-language name, other than cases in which the name is plural or includes the form of government (the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic).

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6.

The Gambia became a British Crown colony called British Gambia, divided for administrative purposes into the colony and the protectorate (remainder of the territory).

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7.

The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901, and it gradually progressed toward self-government.

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8.

Gambia achieved independence on 18 February 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth, with Elizabeth II as Queen of the Gambia, represented by the Governor-General.

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9.

On 24 April 1970, the Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth, following a second referendum.

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10.

In late 2001 and early 2002, the Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which foreign observers deemed free, fair, and transparent.

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11.

Gambia's announcement justified that the Gambia was breaking its colonial past and he proclaimed Islam to be majority of its citizens.

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12.

The Gambia sentenced main opposition leader and human rights advocate Ousainou Darboe to 3 years in prison in July 2016, disqualifying him from running in the presidential election.

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13.

On 14 February 2017, the Gambia began the process of returning to its membership of the Commonwealth and formally presented its application to re-join to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on 22 January 2018.

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14.

The Gambia officially rejoined the Commonwealth on 8 February 2018.

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15.

Gambia is a very small and narrow country whose borders mirror the meandering Gambia River.

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16.

In comparative terms, the Gambia has a total area slightly less than that of the island of Jamaica.

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17.

Gambia contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, West Sudanian savanna, and Guinean mangroves.

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18.

The climate in the Gambia closely resembles that of neighbouring Senegal, of southern Mali, and of the northern part of Benin.

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19.

Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom on 18 February 1965.

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20.

Gambia ruled in an authoritarian style until the 2016 election, which was won by Adama Barrow, backed by a coalition of opposition parties.

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21.

Gambia can appoint five members of the National Assembly, the judges of the superior courts, regional governors, and district chiefs.

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22.

Gambia followed a formal policy of non-alignment throughout most of former President Jawara's tenure.

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23.

In November 2019, the Gambia filed a case against Myanmar in The Hague, accusing its military of genocide against Myanmar's ethnic Rohingya community.

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24.

Under Yahya Jammeh The Gambia was backing up rebels of MFDC in Casamance in southern Senegal.

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25.

Gambia withdrew from the Commonwealth of Nations on 3 October 2013, with the government stating it had "decided that the Gambia will never be a member of any neo-colonial institution and will never be a party to any institution that represents an extension of colonialism".

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26.

Under the new president, the Gambia began the process of returning to its status as a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations with the support of the British government, formally presenting its application to re-join the Commonwealth of Nations to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland on 22 January 2018.

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27.

Gambia returned to its status as a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations on 8 February 2018.

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28.

Between 1958 and 1985, the Gambia did not have a military, but the Gambia Field Force existed as a paramilitary wing of the police.

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29.

The military tradition of the Gambia can be traced to the Gambia Regiment of the British Army, that existed from 1901 to 1958 and fought in World War I and World War II.

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30.

In 2017, Gambia signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

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31.

Gambia is divided into eight local government areas, including the national capital, Banjul, which is classified as a city.

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32.

The divisions of the Gambia were created by the Independent Electoral Commission in accordance to Article 192 of the National Constitution.

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33.

Gambia has a liberal, market-based economy characterised by traditional subsistence agriculture, a historic reliance on groundnuts for export earnings, a re-export trade built up around its ocean port, low import duties, minimal administrative procedures, a fluctuating exchange rate with no exchange controls, and a significant tourism industry.

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34.

English is the official language of the Gambia and is thus used for official purposes and education.

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35.

Virtually all commercial life in the Gambia comes to a standstill during major Muslim holidays, which include Eid al-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr.

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36.

Music of the Gambia is closely linked musically with that of its neighbour, Senegal, which surrounds its inland frontiers completely.

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37.

Cuisine of the Gambia includes peanuts, rice, fish, meat, onions, tomatoes, cassava, chili peppers and oysters from the River Gambia.

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38.

Football in the Gambia is administered by the Gambia Football Federation, who are affiliated to both FIFA and CAF.

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39.

The GFA runs league football in the Gambia, including top division GFA League First Division, as well as the Gambia national football team.

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40.

The Gambia won two CAF U-17 championships one in 2005 when the country hosted, and 2009 in Algeria automatically qualifying for FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru and Nigeria (2009) respectively.

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