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Climate Change and Development in the Gambia
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North Bank Division
The North
Bank Division, occupies the western third of the north bank of the
Gambia from Barra to the border with Lower Saloum in Central River with
Senegal's Kaolack and Fatick regions to the north. The Upper Baddibu is
the larges and most populous of the 6 districts in the Division. The
headquarter is Kerewan although Farafenni the most populous and Barra
compete for the economic capital of the division. Until the expansion
of the Ferry services to Barra and the construction of the bridge
across Mini Minyang Bolon at Kerewan, the Division had suffered a great
deal due to poor access to Banjul.
Upper
Baddibu district with Farafenni the main town in the division is the
largest and most populous district. The district located opposite Jarra
Central along the Trans-Gambia Highway benefited from the growth in
cross-border trade during the 1980s and early 1990s as a result of the
Senegambia Confederation resulting in the influx of migrants from
neighboring Senegal and other districts in North Bank and Central
River. However, the population of Upper Baddibu stabilized by early
2000s after the collapse of the Confederation.
District population 1993 and 2000. Source: Population and Housing Census 1993 and 2003. Major
towns and settlement in the Division include Farafenni, Barra, Essau,
Kerewan and Salikenni. Until 1990s the division had only one High
School at Farafenni and two Junior Secondary School. This has been
significantly increased over since late 1990s with the construction of
several High Schools in the district. Apart from the newly constructed
AFPRC Hospital, the MRC field stations in Farafenni and the
Agricultural Training Center North Bank Division has little to
show off in health and education.
The
oldest European settlement and trading post on mainland Gambia is in
the North Bank. Lying opposite James Island, Juffure (formally called
Gillyfree) was one of the main transit points for human cargo destined
for America. Juffure (made famous by Alex Haley's Roots) together with
Secca and Albadarr (Albreda) were famous European factories and trading
posts until James Island was abandoned in the 1820s.
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