Time Difference: EST +5 hours Current Time and Date in The Gambia
Currency: Currency Converter – Gambian Dalasi (GMD)
Travel Advisory: State Department Report for The Gambia
US embassy in The Gambia: banjul.usembassy.gov
The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa with an approximate area of 11,000 km2 and is situated around the Gambia River which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia is surrounded by Senegal along its entire 740km border. The capital city is Banjul although most of the country’s 1.7 million people leave in Serekendu and Brikama, the two major cities.
A former colony of the Portuguese then the British. The Gambia was the first trade site for the Europeans due to its ideal location on the Gambia River.
Health: CDC The Gambia
What to Pack
Weather: The Gambia Weather
Travel Requirements
- Passport
- Visa required for all US Passport holders. If you are not a US Passport holder please contact the embassy in your region
- Proof of vaccination against yellow fever
Diplomatic Missions
Embassy of The Gambia in Washington D.C.
Official website of the embassy of The Gambia in Washington D.C.
Permanent Mission of the Gambia to the United Nations
Official website of the Permanent Mission of the Gambia to the United Nations in New York City
List of all embassies, high commissions, and consulates of The Gambia
Addresses and contact information of all diplomatic missions of The Gambia
Climate
Wet Season: June to October; Average high temperature of 86°F and low of 73°F
Dry Season: November-May; Average high temperature of 75°F and low of 60°F
Communications: Dial 011 followed by country code 220
Language: English is the official language. African languages widely spoken are Wolof and Mandeka
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites
This site showcases the different phases and facets African-European relations from the 15th-18th centuries and an important tangible reminder of the slave trade era. Kunta Kinteh Island is in the Gambia River which was the first trade route to inland Africa. The site also contains remains of European Settlements including forts and batteries and well as historical villages.
Stone circles of Senegambia
This site contains four large groups of stone circles that include 1000 monuments which are stretched along the River Gambia. The remains suggest a sacred landscape which was created over more than 1500 years between 3rd Century BC and 16th Century AD and signal the existence of a highly organized and prosperous society.