Tiny Gambia is the smallest country in mainland Africa and undoubtedly the most unusually shaped! It occupies a small long narrow strip of land surrounding the Gambia River.
It has a tiny coastline of around 80km (50 miles), where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean. Still, that area is packed with golden beaches, sleepy fishing villages, and a wide variety of wildlife. Its coast and the Gambia River are home to nearly 600 bird species and a vast collection of other animals.
Despite nearly 50% of the country's 2.8 million residents living in poverty, Gambia is renowned for its warm and friendly people who have earned it the nickname 'the smiling coast of Africa.'