Banjul, Capital city on St. Mary's Island, The Gambia.
Banjul is the capital of The Gambia and sits on the narrow St. Mary's Island where the Gambia River joins the Atlantic. The city spreads across a small area and contains government buildings, residential neighbourhoods and the main port for cargo and ferries.
The British colonial power founded the settlement in 1816 as a base against the slave trade and named it Bathurst after the colonial secretary of the time. After independence the city received the name Banjul in 1973, taken from the local Mandinka word for a bamboo basket.
Local traders fill the narrow lanes of Albert Market with fresh fish, textiles and spices while visitors move between stalls and vendors call out their wares. The colourful fabrics and busy trading give a direct sense of everyday life for people who come here to shop and meet.
The drier months between November and February offer more comfortable temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius and make exploring streets and markets easier. During the rainy season from June to October heavy showers can affect daily routines and make some routes harder to pass.
The National Museum holds a small collection of historical documents and traditional masks that give insight into pre-colonial and colonial times. The exhibits show craft techniques and rituals still practised in rural parts of The Gambia today.
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