Senegambia

Senegambia is a historical and geographic term that designates the region surrounding the lower basin of the Gambia River, spanning parts of present-day Senegal and The Gambia in West Africa. The Gambia River flows from the Fouta Djallon highlands to the Atlantic Ocean, creating a narrow corridor of urban centers and fertile floodplains that has long connected inland hinterlands to Atlantic trade networks. The area includes the coasts of Senegal as well as the inland corridors of the river valley, and its northern boundary is roughly the Senegal River watershed.

In precolonial times, the region was home to several empires and kingdoms, notably the Jolof (Wolof) Empire, and later the kingdoms of Cayor, Baol and Waalo. It developed extensive trade networks across the Sahel and with coastal West Africa, and with Europe after contact in the 15th century. The Atlantic slave trade and European colonization shaped its later history, with Senegal becoming part of French West Africa and The Gambia remaining a British protectorate.

Political arrangements in the late 20th century included a short-lived Senegambia Confederation (1982–1989), a loose union between Senegal and The Gambia that sought closer integration but was dissolved. Since independence, Senegal and The Gambia have pursued separate paths, though their shared geography fosters cross-border economic and cultural ties.

Today, Senegambia remains a common shorthand for the cross-border region, often used in discussions of history, culture, and regional development. Population is diverse, with major ethnic groups including Wolof, Mandinka, Fula and Serer; languages include Wolof, English in The Gambia, and French in Senegal; Islam is the predominant religion, with Christian minorities in coastal areas.