Gambia

The Gambia (/ˈɡæmbiə/; officially the Republic of the Gambia and often called simply Gambia) is an enclaved country in West Africa mostly surrounded by Senegal with a short strip of its coastline bordered by the Atlantic Ocean at its western end. It is the smallest country on mainland Africa[citation needed].

The Gambia is situated on either side of the Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the centre of the Gambia and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Its area is 10,689 square kilometres (4,127 sq mi) with a population of 1,882,450 at the 15 April 2013 Census (provisional). Banjul is the Gambian capital, and the largest cities are Serekunda and Brikama.

The Gambia shares historical roots with many other West African nations in the slave trade, which was the key factor in the placing and keeping of a colony on the Gambia River, first by the Portuguese, during which era it was A Gâmbia, and later by the British. In 1965, the Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom. Since gaining independence, the Gambia has had two leaders - Sir Dawda Jawara, who ruled from 1970 until 1994, when the current leader Yahya Jammeh seized power in a coup as a young army officer.

The Gambia's economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and tourism. About a third of the population lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.