The Gambia, formally the Republic of the Gambia, is a west African that’s geographically the smallest nation in continental Africa, with an space of 4,400 sq. miles, or 11,300 sq. kilometers. Let’s study extra about The Gambia!
The Gambia Fundamentals
The Gambia is surrounded by Senegal on all sides besides the western half, which is on the Atlantic Ocean. The nation is lengthy and slender and follows the form of the Gambia River, which is mainly within the middle of the nation. At its widest level it’s 31 miles/50 km extensive, and about 11.5 p.c of the nation is roofed by water.
The capital is an island, Banjul, and the most important metropolitan space is Serekunda. The inhabitants of the Gamiba is about 2.4 million folks, however has been quickly rising in latest historical past.
Arab Muslim retailers traded with the folks of west Africa starting within the ninth century, however the Portuguese had been the primary Europeans to reach there, in 1455. The British established a colony in 1765, and the Gambia gained independence in 1965. Within the Nineteen Eighties, Senegal and the Gambia had been a part of a free confederation that meant to advertise cooperation between the 2 international locations however was dissolved due to disagreements in the best way to join the 2 international locations.
As of this writing the Gambia has solely had three presidents. The second took over in a cold coup and the third needed to be eliminated after disputing election outcomes. The nation additionally has a nationwide meeting.
The title Gambia comes from the title the Mandinka folks gave to the Gambia River, and can also come from the title of a sacred drum performed with a Serer elder dies.
Many ethnic teams reside within the nation, with the best populations being Mandinka and Fula. The Gambia is greater than 95 p.c Islamic. The official language is English however many different languages are acknowledged and utilized by folks all through the nation.
The Gambia is considered one of solely two international locations by which the article the is an official a part of its brief type title in English. (The opposite is the Bahamas.)
The Gambia Nationwide Symbols
The Gambia’s flag has crimson, blue and inexperienced horizontal stripes, with the inexperienced band being narrower than the opposite two, and thinner white stripes between them. The flag was adopted in 1965.
The nationwide anthem “For the Gambia Our Homeland” was additionally adopted in 1965. The music was initially written in Mandinka and translated into English.
The Gambia’s motto is “Progress, Peace and Prosperity,” which is featured on the coat of arms. The coat of arms additionally contains two lions holding an axe and a hoe, subsequent to a defend exhibiting an axe and a hoe crossed. Above the defend is a helmet and an oil palm. The oil palm is used to make industrial palm oil.
The noticed hyena is the nationwide animal.
The Gambia Studying Actions
Be taught extra in regards to the noticed hyena, which is the second largest carnivore after lions. Although they appear like canines, they’re really nearer to cats biologically. Seize some hyena coloring pages from ReallyColor.
Be taught in regards to the Gambia River, and take a look at a tour of the river from Gano Did It.
Discover Kunta Kinteh Island and associated websites, an island within the Gambia River that has quite a few websites that talk to the historical past of European-African relations from the fifteenth to the twentieth centuries.
Check out the stone circles of Senegambia, a set of greater than 1,000 stone monuments unfold throughout 12,000 sq. miles (or 30,000 km) throughout the Gambia and Senegal.
Examine Gambian batik at My Gambia, and provides it a attempt your self with this glue-based batik exercise from Artsy Karma. You can too study extra about conventional Gambian baskets.
Seize Gambia reality sheets and worksheets from KidsKonnect, and get extra concepts for a unit research from Adventures in a Messy Life. Take a look at research slides, phrase searches, puzzles and extra actions at Lecturers Pay Lecturers.
Domada, or peanut stew, is a typical meals that’s thought-about by some to be the nationwide dish of the Gambia. Discover ways to make it with this recipe from Sincere Cooking & Journey.
