What is Senegambia?
[[File:Africa (1878) (14753269636).jpg|thumb|right|500px|{{Center|An 1881 map of [[Africa]] showing Senegambia}}]] '''Senegambia''' was a region of [[West Africa]] occupying the area of present day [[Senegal]] and [[Gambia]]. The [[20th century]] '''Senegambia Confederation''',{{efn|The later confederation of the same name as the earlier territory existed from 1982 until 1989.<ref name=CeesayDO>{{cite web |url=http://observer.gm/the-senegambia-confederation-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-unification/ |title=The Senegambia Confederation The rise and fall of the unification |author=Alieu Ceesay |date=17 February 2015 |publisher=Observer Company Ltd |access-date=31 January 2016 |archive-date=15 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115085308/http://observer.gm/the-senegambia-confederation-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-unification/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> After 8 years of trying, it was decided to end the confederation idea.<ref name=CeesayDO/>}} was a loose [[confederation]] between Senegal and Gambia. The term Senegambia was used by the British as early as 1765.<ref name=AccessGambia>{{cite web |url=http://www.accessgambia.com/information/senegambia-meaning.html |title=Senegambia Origins |publisher=Access Gambia |access-date=31 January 2016}}</ref> They used it to refer to their settlements on the [[island]]s off the [[coast]] of present day Senegal.<ref name=AccessGambia/> The modern use of the term Senegambia means the [[region]] that includes both Senegal and Gambia.<ref name=AccessGambia/> == Senegambian history == There is little known about the early history of the area. By about 1000 [[AD]] the [[Soninke people|Soninke]], [[Mandinka people|Mandinka]] and [[Fula people]]s had formed [[settlement]]s along the [[Gambia River]].<ref name=Atlas>{{cite web |url=http://www.columbia.edu/~msj42/Senegambia.htm |title=Senegambia |publisher=The Atlas of the Gambia/Columbia University |access-date=31 January 2016}}</ref> The [[Toucouleur people]] were settled in [[east]] and [[central]] Senegal.<ref name=A