The Gambia
Historical travel, alone or in organized tours, is burgeoning and fun. Our new series suggests some places for the past-minded traveller to think about. Graham Gendall Norton introduces an accessible but exotic land which has long been a cultural crossroads.
There is nowhere quite like The Gambia. This small West African country of only 1.3 million inhabitants is completely surrounded by Senegal, and cradles the mouth and 200 miles of lower reaches of one of Africa’s great rivers, from which the country takes its name. The most northerly English-speaking West African nation, it is a welcoming gentle introduction to the vibrant culture of West Africa, as many visitors have found – as proof of that, a high percentage return.
History of a more than usually curious kind formed this uniquely shaped nation. Inland from the coast, its narrow boundaries thrust into the heart of Senegal. The country is at no point more than thirty miles wide, narrowing to just fifteen at its eastern end.
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