North Bank Division was 33.2 per cent as of 2003. The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa, with the width of the country never exceeding . It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, while being surrounded by Senegal in all other directions. The Gambia River flows throughout the country and is the principal source of water and transport medium. The banks of the river have swampy beaches, while it has alluvial soil in all other parts, which is conducive for the growth of rice. Peanuts are the major cashcrop. The weather is usually warm and dry. The elevation of
Military history of The Gambia was appointed Governor of the Gambia, and so moved the headquarters for British troops in West Africa to The Gambia. Following World War I, the armed forces of the British West African colonies were put under the control of their respective colonial governments. An Inspector General of African Colonial Forces was appointed to oversee their training and advise the colonial governments. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, The Gambia was only defended by the Gambia Company, officially part of the Sierra Leone Battalion. HQ Military Forces West Africa was formed on 7 July 1940, and Lieutenant General George