Originally called
Banjulo
by the Portuguese, Grant named the new settlement, Bathurst after the Colonial Secretary of the time Lord Bathurst. Britain declared the Gambia River a British Protectorate in 1820 and for many years ruled it from its administrative base in Sierra Leone.
What was the colonial name of Gambia?
The Gambia became a British Crown colony called
British Gambia
, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory).
What was the name of Gambia before?
Other names captured in The Gambia’s record books are ‘
Kambea’
, ‘Jambea’ and ‘Gambra’ as they appear in Portuguese records until British explorers arrived on James Island in 1588 when it officially became Gambia.
What was Gambia named after?
‘ In an interview with the BBC, Crystal disclosed that two reasons came to play in arriving at that official position. The Portuguese who first explored the country named it after
the river known as ‘The River Gambia
. ‘ The Portuguese thus named it ‘The Gambia.
Was Gambia a French colony?
Britain declared the Gambia River a British Protectorate in 1820. In 1886, Gambia became
a crown colony
, and the following year France and Britain drew the boundaries between Senegal (by then a French colony) and The Gambia.
Why is Gambia so poor?
As of 2014, the United Nations Development Programme’s human development index ranked it the 172nd poorest country out of 186. While the causes of poverty in the Gambia are numerous, the two root problems are an overall
lack of economic diversity
as well as inadequate agricultural proficiency and productivity.
Why is Gambia so small?
The peculiar shape and size of the country are the
result of territorial compromises made during the 19th century by
Great Britain, which controlled the lower Gambia River, and France, which ruled the neighbouring colony of Senegal.
Is Gambia rich or poor?
The Gambia – Poverty and wealth
The Gambia is classified as one of the least developed countries and is a
low-income country
. Real GNP per capita growth in the 1990-97 period averaged-0.6 percent a year, so average living standards were falling. SOURCE: United Nations.
What is the religion of Gambia?
Approximately 95.7 percent of the population is
Muslim
, most of whom are Sunni. The Christian community makes up 4.2 percent of the population, the majority Roman Catholics. Religious groups that together constitute less than 1 percent of the population include Ahmadi Muslims, Baha’is, Hindus, and Eckankar members.
Is Gambia a British colony?
The
Gambia was administered as a part of British West Africa from 1821 to 1843
. It was a separate colony with its own governor until 1866, when control was returned to the governor-general at Freetown, Sierra Leone, as it would remain until 1889.
What language do they speak in Gambia?
The Gambia is a former British Colony and the
official language is English but there are also several tribal languages including Mandinka and Wolof
. Educated in English, most Gambians are at least bilingual.
Why does the Gambia exist?
Senegal wanted more access to the Gambia river and unity in trade policies. The Gambia wanted
the protection of the Senegalese military
and both countries had mutual security concerns since many ethnic groups span both countries. The confederation lasted until 1989.
Is Liberia a British colony?
The Republic of Liberia, formerly a
colony
of the American Colonization Society, declares its independence. Under pressure from Britain, the United States hesitantly accepted Liberian sovereignty, making the West African nation the first democratic republic in African history.
Who colonized Gambia?
The Gambia Colony and Protectorate was the
British
colonial administration of the Gambia from 1821 to 1965, part of the British Empire in the New Imperialism era.
Which tribe is the first in Gambia?
There are signs that among the first people to settle in The Gambia were
the Jola
. The banks of The River Gambia have been inhabited continuously for many thousands of years. There are indeed pottery fragments that have been found and have been dated to about 5,500 years old.
Who colonized Ghana?
Formal colonialism first came to the region we today call Ghana in 1874, and
British
rule spread through the region into the early twentieth century. The British called the territory the “Gold Coast Colony”.
