Shape
I don’t believe I’ve focused on the geography of an entire country before. However, the nation of The Gambia embodies so many interesting things to not focus some attention on it. First, notice the remarkable shape. It stretches long and narrow like a snake as it winds its way along the banks of the Gambia River. Much of the country falls within floodplains flanked by low hills. It extends some 338 kilometers (210 miles) east to west, but never more than 47 kilometers (29 miles) north to south. Its maximum elevation reaches only 53 meters.
Size
Next, consider its size. The Gambia barely registers as a speck on the African map. Indeed it qualifies as the smallest country on the continent at only 11,300 square kilometres (4,361 square miles). As a size comparison for those familiar with United States geography, The Gambia covers slightly less than twice the area of Delaware, or less than half the size of Maryland. For those of you unfamiliar with those comparisons, simply note that The Gambia is really quite small.
Borders
Finally, the Gambia shares a border with only one other country. It practically forms an enclave within Senegal. Here, Senegal surrounds The Gambia on every side except for an 80 kilometer Atlantic coastline on its western side. A map of Senegal looks quite odd with the long ribbon of land that forms The Gambia protruding more than halfway through its lower left flank.
Divisions
Five Divisions and a city (the national capital, Banjul) form within The Gambia. Many of their names remind one of its geographic placement along the Gambia River: Upper River; Central River; Lower River; North Bank; Western and the city of Banjul. In turn 37 Districts exist within the Divisions. One of these, Janjanbureh (formerly Georgetown), the capital of the Central River Division, rests completely on McCarthy Island. The Gambia River completely surrounds it.
Origin
Its unusual shape traced back to colonialism, and the manner in which European powers divided Africa. Rivers were strategic trade routes into the African interior where roads did not or could not exist. England gained control of the Gambia River through the purchase of trading rights from Antonio, Prior of Crato, the claimant to the Portuguese throne in 1588, and later by patent letters from Queen Elizabeth I and a charter from King James I to a British trading company.
The surrounding area of Senegal was controlled by the French, and the two came to agreement on The Gambia’s current boundaries in 1889. As colonialism began to wane it was only natural that the areas controlled by the English and the French would form into countries independent of each other. So, The Gambia, with its unusual shape, evolved towards nationhood on a different path than Senegal.
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