| FishBase | Complete | Literature | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Families | Species | Families | |||
| Marine | 493 | 152 | No | Quéro, J.-C., J.-C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.), 1990 | ||
| Freshwater | 106 | 36 | No | Daget, J., J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1984 | ||
| Total | 587 | 173 | No | |||
| Conservation | The following information is to be sought: - Status of knowledge of the freshwater fauna; - Existence of conservation plans; - Information on major aquatic habitats or sites within the country; - Current major threats to species; - Future potential threats to species; - Contact(s) for further information. |
| Geography and Climate |
The Gambia is a long, low-lying strip of land flanking the Gambia River for the lower 480 km of its course. Nowhere does the land rise above 40 m in altitude. Much of the river is estuarine and mangroves penetrate upstream for a considerable distance. Salt water penetrates 150 km upstream in the floods and 200 km during the dry season.
The winters are cool and summers warm. The climate is dry for most of the year, with a single rainy season lasting from June to September. The flood of the river coincides with this.
The Gambia is a wholly agricultural country whose activities are confined to the banks of the river. There is some rice culture, but little flood control or irrigation. On the whole, the flood regime still controls the activities of the rural communities. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |
| Hydrography |
Lakes: there are no lakes.
Rivers, floodplains and swamps: the country is dominated by one river, the Gambia, entering from Senegal. During the rainy season about 40% of the country is flooded.
Reservoirs: none.
Coastal lagoons: there is one small lagoon on the north shore of the Gambia River estuary near Njakunda. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |