50 years ago, A new nation was born. The Gambia, officially Republic of the Gambia, gained independence from United Kingdom after being a British colony for 144 years, from October 17, 1821 to February 18, 1965. Before the British colonized the area, The Duchy of Courland (modern-day Latvia) colonized areas along the coast. The Gambia is a 4000 sq. m. West African nation along the Gambia River. The capital is Banjul, which houses 19% of the 1,900,000 people. Most of the people are ethnic Mandinkas, and the official language is English with other regional languages. The Gambia is the least militarized society, according to the Global Militarization Index, and the nation is a very large nut producer. Though The Gambia has been sovereign for only 50 years, the nation's history and culture will be remembered by many, and the nation, small in size and population, is one great among the African nations. |