Geography of the Gambia
The Gambia is a very small and narrow country with the border based on the Gambia River. The country is less than 48 km wide at its greatest width. The country's present boundaries were defined in 1889 after an agreement between the United Kingdom and France. It is often claimed by Gambians that the distance of the borders from the Gambia River corresponds to the area that British naval cannon of the time could reach from the river's channel. However, there is no historical evidence to support the story, and the border was actually delineated using careful surveying methods by the Franco-British boundary commission.[1][2] Apart from its coastline, where the Gambia borders the Atlantic Ocean, it is an enclave of Senegal and is by far the smallest country on mainland Africa.
Climate
The Gambia has a subtropical climate with distinct dry and rainy seasons.
From November to mid-May there is uninterrupted dry weather, with temperatures as low as 16 °C (60.8 °F) in Banjul and surrounding areas.
Hot, humid weather predominates the rest of the year, with a rainy season from June to October; during this period, temperatures may rise as high as 43 °C (109.4 °F) but are usually lower near the sea.
Mean temperatures range from 23 °C (73.4 °F) in January to 27 °C (80.6 °F) in June along the coast, and from 24 °C (75.2 °F) in January to 32 °C (89.6 °F) in May inland. The average annual rainfall ranges from 920 mm (36.2 in) in the interior to 1,450 mm (57.1 in) along the coast.
Terrain
The grassy flood plain of the Gambia river contains Guinean mangroves near the coast, and becomes West Sudanian savanna upriver inland.
Statistics
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 13°28′N 16°34′W / 13.467°N 16.567°W
Area:
total: 11,295 km²
land: 10,000 km²
water: 1,295 km²
Land boundaries:
total: 749 km
border countries: Senegal 749 km
Coastline: 80 km
- Maritime claims:
- territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
- contiguous zone: 18 nmi (33.3 km; 20.7 mi)
- exclusive fishing zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
- continental shelf: extent not specified
- Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
- Terrain: floodplain of the Gambia River, flanked by low hills
- Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Red Rock 53 m
Natural resources: fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon
Land use:
arable land: 43.48%
permanent crops: 0.49%
other: 56.03% (2011)
- Irrigated land: 50 km² (2011)
- Total renewable water resources: 8 km3 (2011)
- Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.09 km3/yr (41%/21%/39%)
per capita: 65.77 m3/yr (2005)
Current issues: deforestation, desertification, prevalence of water-borne diseases, drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)
Environment - party to international agreements on:
- biodiversity, climate change, Kyoto Protocol, desertification, endangered species, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, ozone layer protection, ship pollution, wetland, whaling
Extreme points
This is a list of the extreme points of the Gambia, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.
- Northernmost point – unnamed location on the border with Senegal immediately south of the Senegalese village of Keur Mali Makham, Central River Division
- Easternmost point – unnamed point on the border with Senegal near the village of Sembagne, Upper River Division
- Southernmost point – the point at which the border with Senegal enters the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Allahein River, Western Division
- Westernmost point - Bijol Islands, Western Division
- Westernmost point (mainland) - Solifor Point, Western Division
Gallery
Fishing boats in Bakau, Gambia
Children swimming near Lamin Lodge.
The river.
River bird
A market.
The Spotted hyena is part of the Gambian fauna.
Wild hippopotamus in the Gambia River.