The Gambia is a small West African country known for its beautiful beaches along the Atlantic Ocean and the Gambia River that runs through its center. It's one of the smallest countries in Africa, surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for its coastline. The Gambia gained independence from Britain in 1965 and is a republic with a president as its head of state. It had a population of 2,468,569 people in 2024.