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Western Division
Area
1,705 sq. km
Division Headquarter
Brikama
Population (2003)
392,987
Largest City
Brikama (57,556: 2003)
Western Division is the division immediately south of Kanifing Municipal Council, stretching from Tanjeh on the Atlantic coast to Sintet in Foni Jarrol. With a population of 392,000, the Division is the most populous local government area. There are 9 districts in the Division with Kombo North the most populous. Between 1963 and 2003, the population of Western Division increased from 55,000 to over 392,000 primarily in the three districts immediately neighboring Greater Banjul Area. The population of Kombo North the district immediately bordering KMC increased from 80,000 in 1993 to over 162,000 in 2003.
The divisional headquarter is Brikama. With a population of 57,556, Brikama is the largest city in the Division. Other major towns in Western Division are Lamin, Wellingara, Sukuta, Kerr Serign and newly established settlement of Brusubi housing estate. Many of these new settlements are along the Atlantic coast.
Figure 3. District population 1993 and 2003.
Banjul International Airport, the country's only Airport, Yundum Barracks, the largest Army Camp and Gambia College, the country's oldest college are in Western Division. With nearly 50 km of the country's 80km Atlantic coast, the division is fast becoming the Center for Tourism Development.
Relatively mild temperatures and higher rainfall makes Western Division particularly suitable for cropping. Land use change in the three westernmost districts have led to the conversion of all but a few patches of natural forest cover. Increased urbanization in the three districts has resulted in the lost of large areas of home gardens, tree orchards and farmlands. Unfortunately little is known about the biological and socioeconomic consequences of these changes.
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