Marine Places
Gambia Estuary
The Gambia Estuary is the western half of the Gambia River, which runs 700 miles (1,130 km) through West Africa. The estuary is tidal throughout and discharges about 528,000 gallons (2 million liters) per second into the Atlantic during the rainy season, but only 528 gallons (2,000 liters) in the dry season. It contains abundant stocks of fish and shellfish, including various species of barracuda, catfish, and shrimp. James Island, near the estuary’s mouth, was a former slave transfer point and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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- Atlantic Ocean East
- Type Salt-wedge (river-dominated) estuary
- Area Approximately 400 square miles (1,000 square km)
- Location East of Banjul, Gambia, West Africa
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