Gambia — books & literature

The story of Gambia

The land now called The Gambia has been shaped for centuries by the river that gives it its name. By the 13th-14th centuries the region fell within the orbit of the powerful Mali Empire, and Mandinka communities settled along the Gambia River, later forming the Kaabu Empire, a Mandinka successor state that endured for centuries. Portuguese explorers reached the coast in 1455, opening an era of European trade; by the 17th century the Gambia River had become part of the Atlantic slave trade route, with captives held at sites such as James Island (now Kunta Kinteh Island) before being shipped across the ocean. Britain established the settlement of Bathurst (today's Banjul) in 1816 as a base to suppress the slave trade, and gradually extended control over the surrounding Gambia Colony and Protectorate until 1965, when The Gambia became independent within the Commonwealth. It became a republic in 1970 under President Dawda Jawara. A 1994 coup brought Yahya Jammeh to power for more than two decades, until he lost the 2016 election to Adama Barrow and, after regional diplomatic pressure, stepped down in 2017 , a peaceful transition many Gambians see as the country's second independence.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 1300s

   Region falls within the Mali Empire; Mandinka communities settle along the Gambia River.

2. 1455

   Portuguese explorers reach the Gambia coast, opening European trade contact.

3. 1600s-1700s

   Gambia River becomes part of the Atlantic slave trade route; James Island used as a holding site.

4. 1816

   Britain establishes the settlement of Bathurst (modern Banjul) as an anti-slave-trade base.

5. 1821-1965

   Gambia Colony and Protectorate administered as part of the British Empire.

6. 1965

   Independence from Britain within the Commonwealth (18 February).

7. 1970

   The Gambia becomes a republic; Dawda Jawara is first President.

8. 1994

   Yahya Jammeh leads a coup, beginning more than two decades of rule.

9. 2016-2017

   Adama Barrow wins the presidential election; Jammeh steps down after regional pressure.

Top 10 things to know about Gambia

1. The Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa, shaped entirely around the Gambia River.
2. It is almost completely surrounded by Senegal, except for its short Atlantic coastline.
3. Nicknamed "The Smiling Coast" for the friendliness of its people and the river-mouth shape on the map.
4. Kunta Kinteh Island (formerly James Island) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site tied to the transatlantic slave trade.
5. Alex Haley's novel "Roots" traced his ancestor Kunta Kinte to the Gambian village of Juffureh.
6. English is the official language; Mandinka and Wolof are the most widely spoken first languages.
7. The region was once part of the medieval Mali Empire and the later Mandinka Kaabu Empire.
8. Britain ruled the area as a colony from Bathurst (1816) until independence in 1965.
9. Traditional wrestling is one of the most popular sports and a major community event.
10. Groundnuts (peanuts) and tourism are pillars of the country's economy.

Famous people from Gambia

Say it in Gambia's language

Did you know?

• ★The Gambia is almost entirely enclosed by Senegal, with only a narrow Atlantic coastline , its long, thin shape follows the Gambia River.
• ★Alex Haley's 1976 novel "Roots" made the village of Juffureh a landmark pilgrimage site for the African diaspora.
• ★Traditional wrestling matches, known locally as a national sport, can draw large crowds and are broadcast nationwide.

Gambia culture

• Traditional wrestling is a major community event, especially in rural areas, blending sport and ceremony.
• Most Gambians are Muslim, and Islamic tradition and extended-family ties shape daily life and hospitality.
• Kora music, played on the 21-string West African harp-lute, is central to Mandinka griot storytelling.
• Benachin (a jollof-style rice dish) and domoda (peanut stew) are staple Gambian foods.

Why read Gambia's books

The Gambia's best-known book was written far from its shores , Alex Haley's "Roots" turned the village of Juffureh into a landmark of African-diaspora memory , while a home-grown literary tradition, pioneered by poet Lenrie Peters, has grown alongside it. Reading Gambia's books traces both threads.