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The Gambia is one of the smallest countries in the world, in fact it is the smallest in continental Africa. Stay with me to find out how people live in this curious country, what they eat, what its people are like and much more. But before we start, give me a like, which helps me a lot, and subscribe so you don't miss more videos like this. 1.The Gambia is a small African country that is surrounded by Senegal and is famous for its great diversity of ecosystems. The nation is located on the banks of the Gambia River that gives its name to the country.
It is the sixth smallest country in Africa with an area of 10,300 km and a population of just over 2 million people. 2.The Gambia is a paradise for birds, as it has some 540 species in its forests and riverbanks. It is also possible to observe hippos and crocodiles that live in the river, as well as green and red monkeys. The Kachikally Crocodile Pond is home to around a hundred crocodiles of different shapes and sizes and the water there is considered holy, as it is believed to provide fertility and to have healing powers. In the area there is a museum that has various mystical artifacts related to the local tribes. 3.The Gambia River was once one of the largest rivers in West Africa. It stretches for more than a thousand kilometers from northwestern Guinea to Banjul in Gambia, before emptying into the Atlantic. This river runs through the center of The Gambia and it is along its tributaries that are lined with mangroves that much of the country's wildlife can be found. 4.This nation was at the center of the slave trade.
Kunte Kinte Island was known as James Island, an important landmark of the transatlantic slave trade. This island became a World Heritage Site in 2003. 5.Artifacts related to slavery, such as chain necklaces, footcuffs and yokes, are displayed in a museum in the region. The exhibits focus on showing what it was like to capture the people who were enslaved and the journey they made across the Atlantic, which was known as the middle passage. 6.Although the Gambia is a very small country, it has 80 kilometers of coastline. The setting is paradisiacal, as it has uncrowded beaches that have sun throughout the year, which makes them very popular with tourists.
7. Its long and narrow territory is the result of a colonial rivalry between Great Britain and France. During the nineteenth century both countries fought to control much of West Africa. In the late 1890s, France incorporated the territory that is now Senegal as part of French West Africa. 8.The British claimed a strip of land cut in two by the River Gambia and named the colony after the river. The territory became an official British protectorate in 1894 and remained under British control until the nation achieved its independence in 1965. Except for the coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, the country is completely surrounded by Senegal.
9.Most of The Gambia is flat with low plateaus covering much of the country. In the west there are sand cliffs and along the river there are swamps. The highest point in the country is in the east and reaches only 53 meters. 10.The Gambia has six national parks and reserves. One of them is the Kiang West National Park which is 100 kilometers from Banjul, the capital of Gambia. Another important reserve is the Abuko Nature Reserve, 25 kilometers from Banjul, as it was the first protected area in Gambia. 11.The Gambia shares much of its culture and history with Senegal, and the two countries share ethnic groups and languages, as well as religious and cultural customs.
The largest ethnic group in The Gambia is the Malinke, with other prominent groups being the Fulani, Wolof, Diola, and Soninke. 12.Although English is the official language of the country, Malinke, Fula and Wolof are also widely spoken . Most of the inhabitants are Muslim and the rest follow Christian or traditional beliefs. 13.Traditional cultures remain in force in Gambia and focus on agriculture, although there are also other activities that stand out such as blacksmithing, fur and weaving. In fact, it is culturally assumed that blacksmiths have special powers that are related to medicine and hunting.
Gambian weavers are known for using fabrics dyed with a very particular indigo color. 14.A very important figure is the Griot, found in most villages. These are narrators who remember and recount the historical exploits of past centuries, in addition to reciting the exploits of contemporary characters. The griots are a kind of historians of the towns and usually accompany their stories with music. A griot may recite a part of the story for hours or even days at a time, as repetition is important for people to remember the details. Being a griot is an honor and is traditionally passed down from generation to generation. 15.Traditional instruments are still made in The Gambia and drums form an important part of Gambian music, as does the kora, a stringed instrument that is similar to a lute and is played with both hands, like a harp. 16. Griots play the kora and also another instrument called the balafon, which resembles a xylophone made of wood and gourds. 17.Primary education in The Gambia is free but not compulsory.
School attendance depends on where people live, as fewer children attend classes in rural areas. The country's first university was established in 1999. 18.Agriculture is a mainstay for this African country, particularly groundnut cultivation. The government has also encouraged rice cultivation because it is feasible to grow it in swampy areas near the river. 19.Fish is also available, but in small quantities, as the fishing industry is very underdeveloped, due to lack of capital investment and inadequate equipment of local fishermen. 20. Farming tasks are divided by gender, with men growing peanuts, sorghum and millet, while women grow rice and garden crops. Corn and cassava are also cultivated for domestic use, as well as mangroves, oranges and various fruits. 21.In recent years, tourism has become an important activity for the country and The Gambia is a very popular destination between the months of October and April.
One of the major tourist attractions is Jufureh, a village near Banjul that commemorates the bonds between Africans and African Americans. 22.This town became famous for the book Roots, by Alex Haley, which tells his family history over seven generations, from the moment his ancestors were captured in Africa. Haley mentions Jufureh as where her ancestors originated. Jufureh is currently the venue for an International Roots Fair that is held every year, where the African diaspora is celebrated. 23.A modern road runs on both sides of the Gambia River, reaching the border with Senegal and there are also other secondary roads in the country. What you will not find in this region is national rail or air services, although there is an international airport in Yundum. 24.Television in The Gambia broadcasts for a limited number of hours per day. Part of the programming arrives from Senegal via satellite networks. Cell phones and the internet have been entering the country very slowly. 25.The Gambia has no term limits for its officials, so the president can be re-elected without restriction.
The system of government is a constitutional republic and the president is elected by vote. 26.In addition to the Supreme Court, The Gambia has a Sharia Court, where cases on Islamic customs and traditions are heard. 27.The area currently occupied by The Gambia has been inhabited since ancient times, but archaeological records of the area are scant. Formerly known as Senegambia to what is now Gambia and Senegal. 28.The region is mentioned in the records of Hanno, a Carthaginian who saw this territory during his journey to Africa in 470 BC. Its location on the fringes of the Ghanaian empire allowed for easy invasion and settlement by neighboring peoples in the fifth and sixth centuries. 29.In the fourteenth century Senegambia was encompassed by the Mali empire and it was the Malinke people, also part of Mali, who established a kingdom in the region and led the Islamic religion. 30.The Malike people fully developed until the 19th century, and at the same time, the Wolof, who came from an area that was part of the Shonghai empire, also settled in the territory. 31.The first European settlement in the region was established on James Island in 1651, by German settlers, but they did not last long, as they were expelled by the British, who were fighting with the French and local African kings for control of this zone.
32.In 1807 the British tried to ban the slave trade on the west coast of Africa. To prevent other European countries from buying slaves in the region, a fort was built at Bathurst (present-day Banjul) to block the slave trade on the River Gambia. 33.The rivalry between France and Great Britain was resolved until in 1889 they decided to divide the region into two parts. Slavery continued in some parts until it was completely abolished in 1906. 34.The British ruled The Gambia indirectly through African chiefs who were given power after Britain divided the country into 35 chiefdoms. Although Britain was pressured into granting Gambia independence, the movement for self-government did not gain momentum until 1960 . , while women and children eat separately. When a boy is considered to have achieved good manners, he can already sit with men. 36.Senegambia circles are found in Gambia north of Janjanbureh and in central Senegal. On the site there are four large groups of stones that represent an extraordinary concentration of monuments in a strip 100 kilometers wide, along 350 kilometers of river. 37.The four groups are called Ngayène, Wanar, Wassu and Kerbatch, and cover 93 stone circles and numerous burial mounds, some of which have been excavated for research, revealing materials dating to the third century BC the oldest.
The place is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 38.The earliest writings in the region come from Arab merchants in the 9th and 10th centuries. The Portuguese appeared in the region in the fifteenth century and began to dominate foreign trade. 39.The Gambia is a very liberal Muslim country where alcohol is widely available and they even brew their own very popular beer called Julbrew. 40.The name Gambia derives from the Mandinka term, which literally means River Gambia. This river is navigable throughout the country. Although some cities are upriver, most Gambians live in rural villages. 41.The river flows through a Miocene sandstone plateau consisting of compacted sediments composed of quartz grains formed approximately 23 million years ago. 42.The river basin was an important point for people fleeing the wars in western Sudan in the twelfth century, which is why the territory became a place for refugees fleeing various African conflicts. 43.The Diola are the oldest people residing in the region and are currently located in western Gambia. 44.The Wolof, who are the dominant group in Senegal, predominate in the capital, while the Fulani settled in the extreme areas upriver and their kingdom called Fuladu was a great power in the nineteenth century.
45.The population growth rate and infant mortality rate in The Gambia are among the highest in Africa. 46.The most important industry in the country is the processing of peanuts. The crop is sold to The Gambia Groundnut Corporation which sets the season price in advance, pays the farmers in cash and sells the crop abroad. 47.After the shelling of the peanuts, much of the crop is converted into oil in the pressing mills and the residue is used for livestock.
48.Although examples of colonial architecture can be found in Banjul, most houses are single storey and made of wood. Family sets are usually distributed around a large area with an interior patio. 49.The villages consist mainly of round mud huts with thatched roofs, and there are a few single-storey concrete buildings with tin roofs. 50.Gambians, especially those in Banjul, wear both traditional West African clothing and European styles. It is common for women to wear elaborate turbans and kaftans, both on the streets of the capital and in rural areas. And men often wear traditional shirts with western pants. Give a like if you liked it and subscribe with the bell activated.
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https://howtoplaythedjembedrums.com/asi-se-vive-en-gambia-el-pais-mas-pequeno-de-africa-continental/
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