Bakau is a town on the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

coast of

Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

, west of Gambia's capital city of

Banjul Banjul (, (US) and ), officially the City of Banjul, is the capital city of The Gambia. It is the centre of the eponymous administrative division which is home to an estimated 400,000 residents, making it The Gambia's largest and most densely ...

. It is known for its

botanical gardens A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

, its crocodile pool ''

Bakau Kachikally The Kachikally crocodile pool is located in the heart of Bakau, Gambia, about 10 miles (16km) from the capital Banjul. It is one of three sacred crocodile pools used as sites for fertility rituals. The others are Folonko in Kombo South and Beren ...

'' and for the beaches at

Cape Point Cape Point () is a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula, a mountainous and scenic landform that runs north-south for about thirty kilometres at the extreme southwestern tip of the African continent in South Africa. Table M ...

. Bakau is the first major suburb outside

and the most developed town in the Gambia. Close to Bakau and

is Gambia's largest city,

Serekunda Serekunda (or Serrekunda; ) is a major city and the largest metropolitan area in The Gambia. It is situated close to the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast, on the Gambia River, near the capital, Banjul. Serekunda and Banjul form an urban area kno ...

History

Legend has it that Bakau grew up around the holy crocodile pool in Kachikally, the central district of Bakau. Bakau itself was a small village at the turn of the 19th century and grew in importance as it became a favourite place for private residences of colonial administrators, especially along the beautiful palm fringed beaches. Despite being a major town, the old village still exists and is run like any other in the Gambia, with an 'Alkali' (similar to 'Mayor') and divided into ''Kabilos''. There exists a much smaller village within the old village called Bakau Wasulung Kunda, indicating the migrant origins of its inhabitants. As people began to move out of

, government allocated residential areas quickly sprang around the old village, acquiring new names in the process. What were farms of the local population became well planned suburbs filled with bungalows, such as

Fajara Fajara is a coastal suburb of Bakau in the Gambia. It is home to Isatou Njie-Saidy, a former Vice-President of The Gambia; Patricia Aslup, a former US Ambassador; and was formerly the home town of the late Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, a former Pr ...

, New Town, Cape Point, Mile7 and Farrowkono (formerly used as gardens by the locals)

Economy

Tourism is the most important business activity in Bakau providing a lot of employment, as well as income for the municipal authority. At Cape Point there are a few hotels on a beach, arguably superior to the main Atlantic Ocean beach, which is home to most of the hotels in the country. In town there are a few guest houses. There is also a major market along the main road famous for its fruit and vegetables. Fishing is also another major business activity and there is a fishing port by the town beach, together with a wharf where a market attracts many visitors. One of the few ice plants in the country is located there. Gardening is also another major business activity in which the local women are mostly engaged on for livelihood. The town has many shops, selling different types of products and services along the Sait Matty Road.

Afrinat International Airlines Afrinat International Airlines was an airline headquartered in Bakau, the Gambia. It was founded in 2002, and provided scheduled services within West Africa out of Banjul International Airport. In 2004, the airline ceased to exist. History Af ...

had its head office in Bakau. *Bakau Primary School *NewTown Primary School *Marina International Scholl *West African International School *Gambia Methodist Academy *American International School *Glory Baptist Senior Secondary School *Bakau Upper Basic School *Presidents' Awards Scheme *Katchikally Nursery School *Starlight School

Infrastructure

Bakau is perhaps the most developed settlement in the Gambia, with excellent communication facilities. Only the major roads are paved and the rate of electricity connection is almost universal. There are several hotels and a few guest houses. The only national stadium, the multi-purpose

Independence Stadium Independence Stadium may also refer to: * Independence Stadium (Bakau) in Gambia * Independence Stadium (Namibia) in Windhoek * Independence Stadium (South Africa) in Mthatha, a List of football stadiums in South Africa, football stadium in South A ...

, is located here. The national broadcaster, Radio Gambia, is located in Bakau at its Mile 7 studios. UN country headquarters is also located here with different foreign embassies. There is also a large military camp, a police barracks and a fire brigade.

Attractions

Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool The Kachikally crocodile pool is located in the heart of Bakau, Gambia, about 10 miles (16km) from the capital Banjul. It is one of three sacred crocodile pools used as sites for fertility rituals. The others are Folonko in Kombo South and Beren ...

, Bakau *

Botanical Gardens A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

, Atlantic Boulevard Road, Bakau * Fajara Hotel, Fajara, Bakau * Ocean bay Hotel, Cape Point *

African Village Hotel African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** List ...

, Bakau * Cape Point Hotel, Cape Point * Sun Beach Hotel, Cape Point * The Garden Guest House, Bakau * Bakau Basketball Academy, Bakau *

Swedish and Norwegian Consulate Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

, Bakau *

Rock Heights Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

, Cape Point *

Tanbi Wetland Complex The Tanbi Wetland Complex is a wetland reserve in the Gambia, established in 2001 outside the national capital of Banjul. Geography The wilderness site of the Tanbi Wetland Complex lies on the southern channel at the mouth of the Gambia River. ...

, Old Cape Road *UNICEF office *British embassy, 48, Atlantic boulevard, Fajara *Fajara war cemetery

Notable people

Amie Bensouda Amie Ndoungou Drammeh Bensouda (born 9 July 1957) is a Gambian lawyer and politician. She was the first female Solicitor General of the Gambia and served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice following the 1994 coup that brought Yahya Jam ...

, corporate lawyer *

Adama Bojang Adama Bojang (born 28 May 2004) is a Gambian professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Reims. He was part of the Gambia squad that finished runner-up at the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations. Career Born in Bakau, Bojang played ...

, footballer * Alieu Fadera, footballer * Pa Amadou Gai, footballer * I.M. Garba-Jahumpa, former minister and politician *

Malando Gassama Malando Gassama (born Malang Omar Gassam; 7 February 1946 – 25 January 1999) was a Gambian percussionist who spent most of his music career in Sweden. He recorded and performed with many notable Swedish and international artists such as AB ...

, percussionist *

Hassan Bubacar Jallow Hassan Bubacar Jallow (born 14 August 1951) is a Gambian judge who has served as Chief Justice of the Gambia since February 2017. He was the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) from 2003 to 2016, and the Prosecut ...

, Chief Justice of The Gambia * Lamin Jallow, footballer * Momodou Malcolm Jallow, Politician & Human Rights Activist *

Abdou Jammeh Abdou Jammeh (born 13 February 1986) is a former Gambian professional footballer. Career Jammeh previously played for FC Torpedo Moscow in the Russian First Division. He signed for Torpedo in early 2008, following the relegation of his pre ...

, footballer * Abdoulie Janneh, diplomat *

Dawda Jawara Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara (16 May 1924 – 27 August 2019) was a Gambian politician who served as prime minister from 1962 to 1970, and then as the first President of The Gambia from 1970 to 1994, when he was overthrown by Yahya Jammeh. Jawa ...

, former head of state of The Gambia * Jizzle, musician *

Bubacarr Jobe Bubacarr Jobe (born November 21, 1994) is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for Swedish club Kristianstad FC. Career Jobe moved to the United States in 2011, and first played for Rush Soccer alongside Vancouver Whitecaps forward Kekut ...

, footballer * Momodou Lamin Sedat Jobe, Diplomat, Fr. Foreign Minister of The Gambia * Basiru Mahoney, judge * Florence Mahoney, educator and professor * Kekuta Manneh, footballer *

Jaysuma Saidy Ndure Jaysuma Saidy Ndure (born 1 January 1984) is a Gambian- Norwegian sprinter. He is of Serer heritage of the noble Ndure family. In 2002, he went to Oslo, aged 18 and settled with his father who has lived in Norway since the 1970s. Having change ...

, athlete *

Njogu Demba-Nyrén Njogu Demba-Nyrén (born 26 June 1979) is a Gambian professional football coach and former player who is a staff member at Swedish Division 3 club Eskilstuna City. He has represented the Gambia at full international level. During his career, h ...

, footballer * Lenrie Peters, surgeon, Playwright, Novelist, Poet, Educationist * Dembo Saidykhan, footballer * Amadou Sanyang, footballer * Raymond Sock, judge

Gallery

File:Gambia 012 from KG.jpg File:Gambia 008 from KG.jpg File:Gambia Bakau 0002.jpg File:Gambia Bakau 0001.jpg, Church in Bakau File:BeachResort Bakau Gambia.jpg, Atlantic Ocean from a Bakau resort File:Road Scene Bakau Gambia.jpg, Road in Bakau

References

External links

{{Coord, 13, 29, N, 16, 41, W, region:GM_type:city, display=title Populated coastal places in the Gambia