Known as the Smiling Coast of Africa, The Gambia is a tiny African country – the smallest country on the continent, as a matter of fact – with picturesque beaches, friendly locals, and vibrant culture, but why is it The Gambia? Why not simply Gambia?
The River
The Gambia is located in western Africa, surrounded by its singular neighbor, Senegal. Its only other neighbor is the Atlantic Ocean. In spite of its size, the country boasts a variety of terrain, from mangrove swamps to savannah to sandy beaches, and along the center runs the Gambia River. The country is a slender sliver of land that follows along the riverbanks north and south of the river. It is no surprise, therefore, that The Gambia takes its name from that river. But there’s more to it than that.
The region was an important site for the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, as the Gambia River was an early route into the African interior. As such, the region was squabbled over by Britain and France, and while Senegal was largely colonized by the French, it was the British who established a colony along the Gambia River. The Gambia Colony and Protectorate remained such until February 18, 1965, when The Gambia achieved independence. At that time The Gambia was a constitutional monarchy within the British Commonwealth, and it was during this time that the country became officially known as The Gambia.
Independence
A year prior to independence, the Prime Minister, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, applied to the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names to retain the article in their name. But why? In part because the country is named after theRiver Gambia, and perhaps in part because the Portuguese, the first European explorers in the area, called it “A Gâmbia”, or “The Gambia”. But it was also in part because of Zambia, who also attained independence around the same time. Therefore, the Commission allowed The Gambia to retain the article to alleviate any confusion between the two.
The Gambia
Today, of course, The Gambia is no longer a constitutional monarchy. In 1970, on the 4th of April, The Gambia became a Republic, and the country is officially the Republic of The Gambia. So, in the end, you can take your pick of reasons for including The: to avoid confusion with Zambia; because the country is named for the river; because The Gambia is a shortened version of the Republic of The Gambia. Whichever you fancy, just remember it is The Gambia, not Gambia!
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