formerly (1816–1973) Bathurst
Seaport ( pop., 1993: urban agglomeration, 270,540), capital of The Gambia.
Located on the Island of St. Mary in the Gambia River , it is the country's largest city. Founded by the British in 1816 to suppress the slave trade, it subsequently became the capital of the British colony of Gambia. With The Gambia's independence in 1965, it became the national capital. Tourism is of increasing importance, and Banjul serves as a transportation centre with connections to the interior and to Senegal.