The Republic of The Gambia

The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa and measures less than 50 kilometers across at its widest point.

Kunta Kinteh Island and its related historic sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003 and preserve important evidence of centuries of African-European trade and the transatlantic slave trade.

The Stone Circles of Senegambia include more than 1,000 monuments, with the Wassu and Kerbatch groups located in The Gambia.

The Kankurang Manding initiatory rite of The Gambia and Senegal was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

The Gambia officially rejoined the Commonwealth on 8 February 2018, more than four years after leaving the organization in 2013.

Niumi was designated The Gambia’s first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2024 and protects extensive mangrove forests along the country’s coast and riverbanks.

The Gambia has around 560 recorded bird species across its protected reserves, making birdwatching an important part of the country’s ecotourism.

Abuko Nature Reserve, officially established in 1968, was the first protected area created in The Gambia.

Groundnuts are one of The Gambia’s main exports, with China as the largest buyer.

In July 2026, The Gambia launched a national fisheries management plan focused on sardinella and bonga fish to support more sustainable fishing.

The Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project has operated in River Gambia National Park since 1979, reintroducing chimpanzees to island habitats within the park.

The Gambia is widely promoted as the “Smiling Coast of Africa,” a tourism identity associated with the country’s hospitality and Atlantic coastline.