Množina: Gambias

A republic in West Africa; Also called: The Gambia.
River in W Africa, 1,000 km/620 mi long, which gives its name to The Gambia. It rises in Guinea and flows west along the country to the Atlantic Ocean.The, Country in W Africa, bounded north, east, and south by Senegal and west by the Atlantic Ocean.
government
The Gambia is an independent republic within the British Commonwealth. Its constitution dates from 1970 and provides for a single-chamber legislature, the house of representatives, consisting of 50 members, 36 directly elected by universal suffrage, five elected by the chiefs, eight nominated nonvoting members; and the attorney general, ex officio. It serves a five-year term, as does the president, who is elected by direct universal suffrage and appoints a vice president (who also leads the house of representatives) and a cabinet. Following an army coup 1994, a military council was established to oversee the government.
history
The Gambia was formerly part of the Mali Empire, a Muslim gold-trading empire that flourished in W Africa between the 7th and 15th centuries, and declined at the time of the Portuguese arrival 1455. In the late 16th century commerce was taken over from Portugal by England, and trading posts established on the Gambia River were controlled from Sierra Leone. In 1843 The Gambia was made a crown colony, becoming an independent British colony 1888.
Jawara’s presidency
Political parties were formed in the 1950s, internal self-government was achieved 1963, and full independence within the Commonwealth 1965, with Dawda Jawara as prime minister. The country declared itself a republic 1970, with Jawara as president, replacing the British monarch as head of state. Jawara was reelected 1972 and 1977.
With the Progressive People's Party (PPP) the dominant political force, there was pressure to make The Gambia a one-party state, but Jawara resisted this. When an attempted coup against him 1981 was thwarted with Senegalese military aid, ties between the two countries were strengthened and the confederation of Senegambia created. However, in economic terms, The Gambia had more to gain and after Senegalese demands The Gambia formally agreed to end the confederation. Jawara was reelected 1982 and 1987. In 1990, The Gambia contributed troops to the multinational force attempting to stabilize Liberia.
military coup
In July 1994, following a coup staged by junior army officers, a military council was established to oversee the activities of the civilian government. Jawara fled the country and Lt Yahya Jammeh was named as his replacement.

Of or relating to or characteristic of Gambia or its inhabitants.

Množina: Gambians

A native or inhabitant of Gambia.