Gambia Colony and Protectorate | |||||||
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1816–1965 | |||||||
Status | Crown colony | ||||||
Capital | Bathurst | ||||||
Common languages | English (official), Mandinka, Fula, Wolof widely spoken | ||||||
Religion | Christianity, Sunni Islam, Serer | ||||||
Demonym(s) | Gambian | ||||||
Government | Crown colony | ||||||
Monarch | |||||||
• 1816–1820 | George III (first) | ||||||
• 1952–1965 | Elizabeth II (last) | ||||||
Governor | |||||||
• 1816–1829 | Alexander Grant | ||||||
• 1962–1965 | Sir John Paul (last) | ||||||
Prime Minister | |||||||
• 1962–1965 | Dawda Jawara | ||||||
Legislature | Legislative Council (1844–1866; 1880–1960) House of Representatives (1960–1965) | ||||||
Historical era | New Imperialism | ||||||
• Establishment | 17 October 1816 | ||||||
• Independence as The Gambia | 18 February 1965 | ||||||
Currency | Pound sterling (to 1912) British West African pound (1912–65) | ||||||
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Today part of | Gambia |
The Gambia Colony and Protectorate was the British colonial administration of The Gambia from 1821 to 1965, part of the British Empire in the New Imperialism era. The colony was the immediate area surrounding Bathurst (now Banjul), and the protectorate was the inland territory situated around the Gambia River, which was declared in 1894.