Start with a real map
The Gambia follows its namesake river inland from the Atlantic, with Senegal around its landward boundaries. The river is a route through the country’s history as well as its landscape. A national border and a riverbank are different things: communities, trade and family connections extend across both.
Banjul is the capital. Serrekunda and the wider coastal urban area should not be mistaken for Banjul city itself. When reading an address, look for the locality and a landmark rather than assuming that “Banjul area” means the capital.
Read the country from coast to interior
Use Banjul, Kanifing, Brikama, Kerewan, Mansakonko, Janjanbureh and Basse as starting points for exploring different parts of the country. Learn which riverbank a destination is on before planning a journey. A short distance on a map may still involve a bridge, a ferry, a road detour or changing conditions.
Compare an administrative map with a transport map. The first explains boundaries and responsibilities; the second helps explain journeys. Neither alone tells you how a community lives.
Try this together
Choose a place where your family, class or team has a connection. Locate it on a map and trace a route to another region. Ask: what does the river make easier, and what makes the journey difficult? Record the date of any timetable or fare you check.