Central River Division (Central River)
Until 1995 the division is known as MacCarthy Island Division, which had been established as one of five administrative areas of Gambia Protectorate in the early 20th century. It is located on both sides of the Gambia River, and its total population according to the 2013 census is 226,018 The total number of households is 17,399 as of 2003. As of 2003, the total area of the region is 2894.3 km2.
The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa and the width of the strip like structure never exceeding 48 km. It is bordered by Atlantic Ocean to the West, and otherwise surrounded by Senegal. The Gambia River flows throughout the country and is the principal source of water and transport medium. The banks of the river has swampy beaches, while it has alluvial soil in all other parts, which is conducive for the growth of rice. Peanuts is the major cashcrop. The weather is usually warm and dry. The elevation of the country reaches to a maximum of 50 m above the mean sea level. There are vast segments of sedimentary sandstone and claystone in the valleys of the rivers and the regions surrounding it. The river flows from Guinea and has an east-west axis. The shallow water in the coastline are important sources of fishing. There are mangrove and banto forests along the coastline. Over the river segment of 487 km, there are numerous creeks, which are locally called boloons. The months from June to September experience a wet season, while the remaining seven months are dry. The average annual rainfall is around 1400 mm in the south east, while it is 720 mm in the northwest. Experts have assessed that the overall rainfall during the century period between 1886 and 1992, there has been a reduction in rainfall of around 15-20 per cent and the wet season has been shortened.
Map - Central River Division (Central River)
Map
Country - The_Gambia
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The Portuguese in 1455 entered the Gambian region, the first Europeans to do so, but never established important trade there. In 1765, the Gambia was made a part of the British Empire by establishment of the Gambia. In 1965, the Gambia gained independence under the leadership of Dawda Jawara, who ruled until Yahya Jammeh seized power in a bloodless 1994 coup. Adama Barrow became the Gambia's third president in January 2017, after defeating Jammeh in the December 2016 elections. Jammeh initially accepted the results, before refusing to leave office, triggering a constitutional crisis and military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States that resulted in his removal two days after his term was initially scheduled to end.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMD | Gambian dalasi | D | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| EN | English language |
| WO | Wolof language |