The Gambia less than wide at its widest point, with a total area of . About (11.5%) of the Gambia's area are covered by water. It is the smallest country on the African mainland. In comparative terms, the Gambia has a total area slightly less than that of the island of Jamaica. Senegal surrounds the Gambia on three sides, with of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean marking its western extremity. The present boundaries were defined in 1889 after an agreement between the United Kingdom and France. During the negotiations between the French and the British in Paris, the French initially gave the
Christianity in the Gambia Christianity in the Gambia Christians in the Gambia constitute approximately 8 percent (~136,400) of the country's population (1,705,000 - 2009 est.) The government did not establish a state religion, but the predominant religion is Islam, practised by approximately 90% of the country's population. Article 25 of the Constitution protects the rights of citizens to practise any religion that they choose. The Christian community, situated mostly in the west and south of the country, is predominantly Roman Catholic; there are also several Protestant groups including Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and various small evangelical denominations. In 1963 the Gambia Christian Council