What are the physical features of Gambia?
The main feature of the land is predominantly Guinea woodland savannah and Sahelian scrub with with mangroves concentrated near the estuary of the River Gambia and along its banks and Bolongs. The vegetation is comprised of the Savannah type with shrub and grass understoreys.
Is Gambia a desert?
There are no deserts in The Gambia.
What is the landscape like in Gambia?
The country is predominantly a low plateau, which decreases in height as it nears the Atlantic coast. The plateau is bisected by the river and is broken in a few places by low flat-topped hills and by the river’s tributaries. The landscape is essentially flat, with the highest point just 53m (174ft) above sea level.
How did Gambia get its shape?
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.
What does the word Gambia mean?
The name “Gambia” is derived from the Mandinka term Kambra/Kambaa, meaning Gambia River (or possibly from the sacred Serer Gamba, a special type of calabash beaten when a Serer elder dies). Following the proclamation of a republic in 1970, the long-form name of the country became Republic of the Gambia.
Which ocean forms the coastline of the Gambia?
Land. The Gambia is a strip of land 15 to 30 miles (25 to 50 km) wide on either side of the Gambia River and extends almost 300 miles (480 km) into the interior; except for a short coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, it is entirely surrounded by Senegal.
What is the climate in Gambia?
The Gambia experiences a Sahelian climate, characterized by a long, dry season (November to May) and a short, wet season (June to October). Average temperatures in Gambia range from 18°C to 30°C during the dry season and 23°C to 33°C during the wet season.