Did you know?

Did you know that Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa? Its area is just 10,689 square kilometres (4,127 square miles) with a population of 1,882,450 (according to the 15 April 2013 census).

Did you know the capital city of The Gambia is Banjul? It may be the capital, but it is not the biggest city, as Serekunda and Brikama are larger.

Did you know that the official language of The Gambia is English? That may be true, but there are plenty of other languages spoken there too, including Mandinka, Fula, Wolof, Serer and Jola.

Do you know the date the country gained independence from the UK? It was 18 February 1965.

Do you know the name of the current President of The Gambia? Its President Yahya Jammeh.

Do you know the currency used in The Gambia? It's the dalasi. One of the first things we will do when we arrive in The Gambia is to exchange our British pounds for Gambian delasi. £1 sterling buys around 60 dalasi (according to January 2014 exchange rate).

Do you know what the weather will be like when we go to The Gambia? The country enjoys virtually uninterrupted sunshine and high daytime temperatures with almost no rainfall from November to June. From July to October the humidity level is high as the tropical sun will be punctuated by short but spectacular rain storms. In other words, pack your shorts!

Do you know how The Gambia makes it's money? The economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and tourism, with peanuts being the biggest crop. About a third of the population lives below the international poverty line (US$1.25 per day).

Do you know what the predominant religion of The Gambia is? Its Islam, which is practised by approximately 90% of the country's population. The majority of Muslims in the Gambia adhere to Sunni laws and traditions.