GAMBIA, THE

officially Republic of The Gambia, country of western Africa, with an area of 4,127 square miles (10,689 square kilometres). Essentially, The Gambia is a strip of land 15 to 30 miles (25 to 50 kilometres) wide and 295 miles long on either bank of the Gambia River; except for a short coastline, it is surrounded by Senegal. Its unusual shape and size are attributable to territorial compromises arising from 19th-century Anglo-French rivalry in western Africa. The capital of The Gambia is Banjul. officially Republic of the Gambia republic of western Africa, covering an area of 4,127 square miles (10,689 square km). The capital is Banjul. Stretching inland 295 miles (475 km) eastward from the Atlantic Ocean, The Gambia is a narrow enclave (15 to 30 miles [24 to 48 km] wide) along the Gambia River and on land is almost completely surrounded by Senegal. The population in 1990 was estimated at 860,000. Additional reading Oyeyemi Haffner, A New Geography of Senegambia (1981); and Hubert Deschamps, Le Sngal et la Gambie, 3rd ed. updated (1975), are useful introductions. For bibliographic information, see David P. Gamble (comp.), The Gambia (1988). Harry A. Gailey Administration and social conditions Government The 50-member House of Representatives holds legislative power. There are 36 elected members, five elected by the chiefs in assembly, and eight nonvoting nominees; the attorney, who is nominated but has a vote, is also a member. The People's Progressive Party (PPP) has dominated the legislature since independence. The government is headed by a president, who is elected by universal suffrage to a five-year term. The vice president and Cabinet members are appointed by the president from among the 36 elected members of the house. The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court, whose members are appointed by the president. Local administration in each of the 35 districts is theoretically the responsibility of the local chief, who is assisted by councillors. The districts are grouped into seven divisions, six of which are administered by councils consisting of a majority of elected members. Actual power, however, is in the hands of district officers appointed by the central government. Banjul is administered by a city council. Education Education at the primary level is free but not compulsory. There are secondary and post-secondary schools, including a teacher-training college at Brikama. Gambian students seeking higher education also travel to Sierra Leone, Britain, or the United States. Cultural life The peoples of the Senegambia have not produced any significant art, though there were blacksmiths in all societies and a few drum and kora (a complex stringed instrument) makers. Dance and music were tied to village activities, and some songs were part of the repertoire of the praise singers called griots. The only newspaper, the government-operated News Bulletin, circulates mainly in Banjul. Radio Gambia, also government-run, broadcasts in English, French, and various Gambian languages. In Banjul is a small museum whose holdings are mainly anthropological. Enid R.A. Forde Harry A. Gailey