observer.gm - The exact origin of the name The Gambia is unknown. It was first recorded in writing by Europeans explorers who began arriving here 500 years ago. As the Europeans expanded into West Africa, they were fixated with producing accurate maps for future travelers and they fussed over keeping a written record of place names to mark down on those maps. The names of rivers in the Senegambia region were therefore of great importance to them and it was talking to people living by the River Gambia that...» view full story