Why Gambia’s Odd Shape? 🗺️ Why Senegal Is Always Smiling 🙂

If you ever zoom in on the map of Africa, you might notice that Senegal seems to be smiling. But if you look closely at the “smile,” you’ll see a narrow strip of land cutting deep into its center—that’s The Gambia, one of Africa’s most oddly shaped countries.
This strange shape wasn’t random and to understand how it came to be, we need to go back to the late 19th century, when Africa was being carved up by European powers. At the time, Senegal was a French colony, while The Gambia was controlled by the British.
The Gambia’s borders follow the winding path of the Gambia River, which the British controlled as a key trade route for goods like ivory, gold, and slaves. This allowed them to dominate regional trade while restricting French expansion into surrounding Senegal.
Despite being Africa’s smallest mainland country, covering just 11,300 square kilometers, The Gambia holds another surprising history. Its famous Kunta Kinteh Island, which sits at the center of the Gambia River, was ruled by several European powers—which just highlights how colonial powers abused African lands.

#gambia #senegal #africa #world #geography #map #mapping #learning #learn #reels #history #shorts

[geoalldayog]

Also Gambia is one of only two countries in the world with “The” in its official name. Can you guess the other one? Drop your answer below! 👇🌍

[kimmorris]

The cannonball thing is the same way they decided how far out their control of the water off their coasts should be.

[zippermobilegaming]

Senegal: Can we have a river?
Gambia: No lol

[Appalachian-Mapping]

q: why is this border weird?
a: britain.

[KCYCU]

THE Gambia. When *A* Gambia just won't do!

[That_one_kiso]

Bro really put Germany as one of the countries that had colonies in Africa

[asecretturning]

Please don't zoom in and out so much

[Sandyholmm]

British Gambia wasnt used for the slave trade, since when the official colonial borders were set in the berlin conference, the UK had already abolished slavery, they abolished slavery in 1833 not the 1880s

[Majedsumaia]

Never let Britain and france draw borders 💀

[Zhernobs]

Is it me or im seeing senegal as pepe the frog?

[sociologymission]

Its dumb that these countries still fallow this boundry

[ericvolker]

Wrong, bevor it was Britich the German Duke of Lippe claim it. After ca.80 years He sell it too the Duke of Essex. 100years later it goes too the UK. So it was nearly a Europen Colonie for over 300years.

[Ghazel_ghazel-kllt]

Thanks God now you know why you living good life and other side poor and you laugh at them all time ...