Banjul, << BAHN jool >> (pop. 44,188), is the capital and the largest city of Gambia. It lies at the mouth of the Gambia River on St. Mary’s Island, along the west coast of Africa. A bridge connects Banjul with the mainland.
Banjul is Gambia’s chief port. Peanuts are the port’s main export. Most of Gambia’s manufacturing takes place in the Banjul area. The area has factories for processing peanuts, producing beverages and clothing, and assembling farm machinery.
The British founded the city in 1816, and called it Bathurst. The city began as a base for British efforts to stop the slave trade in Africa. It soon became a general trade center. The British administered the city as part of a colony they had established in Gambia until Gambia gained independence in 1965. The city was renamed Banjul in 1973.
