Banjul
The Gambia · Africa
About Banjul
Banjul (UK:, US: ), officially the City of Banjul, is the capital city of The Gambia. The city of Banjul is located on St Mary's Island (Banjul Island), which is in the Gambia River where it enters the Atlantic Ocean.
The population of the city proper is 26,461, with the Greater Banjul Area, which includes the City of Banjul and the Kanifing municipality, at a population of 405,809 (2024 census). The island is connected to the mainland to the west and the rest of Greater Banjul Area via bridges. There are also ferries linking Banjul to the mainland at the other side of the river.
From the 19th century until 24 April 1973, the city was known as Bathurst.
There are several etymologies for 'Banjul.' One traditional history recounts that Bandjougou, son of Barafin, came to the island after fleeing the attacks of Soumaoro Kante on the Manding region. His name became attached to the island, and over time changed to 'Bandjoulou'.
Another theory claims that Banjul takes its name from Bang julo, the Mandinka word for rope fibre that the Mandinka people gathered on the island.
In 1651, Banjul was leased by the Duke of Courland and Semigallia (German: Herzog von...
Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.