The Gambia, a country on the western coast of Africa, fronting the Atlantic Ocean. Senegal encloses the country on the other three sides.
Straddling the Gambia River, the country extends eastward for about 320 km (200 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean. At its widest,
this narrow country measures only about 50 km (30 mi) across.
The Gambia became a British colony during the 1800s. It gained its independence in 1965.