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In 470 BC, Hanno, the
Carthaginian, in an account of his voyage to West Africa referred to
the kingdom of Gambia. The bank of the river Gambia has been inhabited
for many centuries. During the colonial period, The Gambia’s first
contact with Europeans was in 1456 when the Portuguese landed. Gambia
was strategically important as a trade point along the West African
coast. Though the Portuguese did not establish a colony in the Gambia,
they continued to monopolise trade until the English gained control of
the mouth of the River Gambia in 1651 and fortified present day Banjul.
Slave trading was abolished in 1807 and James Island in Gambia was used
to check and stop illicit traffic in slaves. The Gambia was Britain’s
first and last colony and gained 314 years later in 1965. The country
became a republic in April of 1970.
Dawda Jawara, leader of the People’s Progressive Party,
became President of the Gambia. For most Gambians, his rule did not
bring many benefits, but he remained more or less popular. He was
overthrown in a bloodless coup in 1994 led by young and dashing
Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh. In 1996, presidential elections were held and
Jammeh democratically came into power with a 56% majority of the vote.
The opposition protested that the results of the poll had been tampered
with and their leader went into hiding.
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