Country history · Africa

History of the Gambia

9 recorded states lay in what is now the Gambia, from the Kingdom of Niumi (1450 CE). 5 outside powers ruled here.

ProfileState (capital or seat)2 without a known seat not shownOpen in the atlas →

Empires that ruled here

Timeline

15th century

  1. Kingdom of Niumi1450 CE – 1897 CE · kingdom
  2. Kingdom of Saloum1494 CE – 1891 CE · kingdom

16th century

  1. Jimara (Kaabu)1500 CE – 1867 CE · kingdom
  2. Kantora1500 CE – 1880 CE · kingdom
  3. Kingdom of Wuli1500 CE – 1890 CE · kingdom

18th century

  1. Province of Senegambia1765 CE – 1783 CE · colony

19th century

  1. British West Africa1821 CE – 1888 CE · colony
  2. Gambia Colony and Protectorate1821 CE – 1965 CE · colony
  3. Fuladu1867 CE – 1903 CE · kingdom

In the encyclopedia

Shared histories

States that also lay in other present-day countries:

States of West Africa → All country histories →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). History of the Gambia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/gambia
MLA
“History of the Gambia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/gambia. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “History of the Gambia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/gambia.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘History of the Gambia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/gambia (Accessed: ).