The African "River Country" Nobody Knows About

[@General.Knowledge]

*What's another country with strange looking borders?*

[@mariusztyranski5845]

Lesotho, please :) Its existence as a landlocked enclave within South Africa is even more strange than that of The Gambia. And it is only one landlocked country with visible borders from satellite photos.

[@schs1977]

San Marino, Andorra and Liechtenstein.....why do they exist?

[@tomwinch9107]

Luxembourg is a country that despite changes around it (I'm thinking the Alsace region) has kept pretty consistent borders for quite a long time (and narrowest is indeed a word ... as is thinnest, which might describe Chile, being narrow and 'vertically' aligned ...)

[@JamesStewart-lx5wb]

Croatia's shape and borders are very weird. The country looks like a boomerang. But the reason for that shape is because of war. That's it. That's literally the only reason Croatia has the weirdest country shape in Europe.

[@rebwaters]

Me seconds Croatia too. We all know it's due to the region's ethnolinguistic mess, but heck it would be a really nice video to explore and flesh out

[@rexcolt9742]

Because the british

[@ryansteele2677]

Usually a good bet for the answer to any historical question lol

[@caro.caro.9578]

You can say that again...!

[@General.Knowledge]

Pretty much!

[@jack8580]

The answer to most modern problems

[@togerboy5396]

@@General.Knowledge Youre Portuguese right? Do you love Britain too? 🥺

[@Pierre1502]

Watching from the Gambia

[@fabertaleixo]

Hello Gambian!

[@theamazingreptar]

@@Pierre1502 are you Gambian or visiting The Gambia?

[@Pierre1502]

@@theamazingreptar i am visiting from Norway 🇳🇴

[@theamazingreptar]

@@fabertaleixo someone made a racist assumption 🙈

[@zephawisher]

​@@theamazingreptar it's not racist... It's valid..

[@pierre-lucmarion77]

Australia and New Zealand are constitutional monarchies with the British monarch as head of state and a Governor General to represent him, like in Canada.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Close but technically incorrect. The position of the Monarch of Australia is a different title to that of the Monarch of the United Kingdom. Australia could, theoretically, alter its law so someone else held that title without needing British approval.

[@isaaccastillo5080]

2:54 technically also El Salvador, although the article is in Spanish

[@brambrooijmans7248]

How about the Netherlands?

[@gabriela.7422]

​@@brambrooijmans7248 and the United States of America?

[@pedrofr1434]

There are more in Spanish, El Líbano and La India for example

[@nguyenlamanh2919]

And the Philippine

[@saulalvarez220]

A country that I would like you to do is Lesotho. Why is it surrounded by South Africa, and why isn't it a Providence of South Africa?

[@SenhorKoringa]

Britain conquered the dutch territories around it but not actual Lesotho because kesotho is just mountains and has no colonial market value, no cash-crops farmland or anything worth dealing with the hassle

[@daerdevvyl4314]

*province, not providence. Same thing with Canada. We have provinces, not providences.

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

Yes, it is easy to research. Truth told by earlier poster.

[@anggakaruniawan]

​@@daerdevvyl4314um.. why are you mad, it's just a typo

[@TheRealEtaoinShrdlu]

​@@anggakaruniawanHow do you know?! Maybe the guy seriously thinks the correct term is "providence". Ignorance should be pointed out and corrected, not just ignored and accepted.

[@kroosbah3812]

Hello 👋 from the Gambia 🇬🇲, nice video btw!

[@Offbeat-clock9]

Same!!!!

[@arjaygee]

"Narrowest" and "most narrow" are both accepted superlative forms of "narrow." The Gambia was in the same boat as Australia and New Zealand _before_ the 1970 referendum. All three were Commonwealth Realms whose head of state was the British monarch. After the 1970 referendum, The Gambia ceased to be a Commonwealth Realm, as it had its own head of state. However, it has mostly remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations (different from Commonwealth Realms) except for the period from 2013-2018 (as you noted).

[@SalieuMJallow]

Proud to be a Gambian 🇬🇲 🇬🇲

[@Offbeat-clock9]

Yeah, let's be proud of ourselves 😅

[@andrewjackson8421]

I appreciate your videos. Your voice is very soothing and I always feel that I learn something new. I also really love your accent. Thank you, and keep up the good work.

[@shawolzen4893]

You like sticks?

[@bruhvibes5941]

just say you think he’s sexy

[@yarbom360]

I am a Gambian 🇬🇲 and I appreciate your content ❤🎉❤❤

[@AbdoulieSarr-oj4rx]

Watching from The Gambia 🇬🇲

[@mariajoaoferrazdeabreu150]

Great video. Keep up the good work

[@k.c1126]

So cool that The Bahamas was mentioned... And I didn't realize that these two countries are the only ones who have the definite article as part of their name!

[@ferretyluv]

The Netherlands The Philippines

[@fabiansaah6482]

El Salvador

[@k.c1126]

@@ferretyluv See, this fits my instinct... But I wonder if either of these have mandated the inclusion of The as a part of their official name...

[@k.c1126]

@@fabiansaah6482 this works.

[@becnal]

The United States.

[@iannjari6833]

The Commonwealth of Nations has 3 kinds of states and British territories: 1. Fully fledged republics where the head of state is mostly likely a president - Think of Kenya, India or Egypt. The Gambia falls in this category. These countries would have fallen in the second category at some point between being colonies and being republics. 2. Commonwealth Realms - They're are countries that rule themselves but the British Monarch is the head of state. Australia, Canada, Tuvalu, NZ, Jamaica. 3. The UK. 4. British Territories like The Caymans where the UK Parliament and Privy Council have legislative and judicial power respectively although the territories have some broad legislative autonomy.

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

You missed the key factor in why Senegambia failed - the English and French bureaucratic systems are incompatible. All Senegal wanted was a uniform system but that couldn't happen.

[@apatsa_basiteni]

Looks like an interesting country.

[@boysafe5818]

Our homeland 🎉 The smiling coast of Africa ❤😊🇬🇲 we have the most beautiful flag in the world

[@HahnJames]

Great video! It was very educational. I always enjoy learning new things.

[@blackpanda7298]

I’m very happy you started showing your face. ❤

[@hikodzu]

Imagine the river shift so much it went out from their border lol

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

I hadn't thought of that possibility? What about ocean level rising?

[@johnhemphill1938]

Another country that is odd in its existence is Andorra

[@tng2057]

You did not mention the slave trade. Note that the successful 80s US TV series Roots was based on a Gambia young man got abducted and sent to the US as a slave together with many others through the Gambia a major slave centre at the time, and his supposedly name Kunta Kinte is still used as the name of an island in the Gambia.

[@bmjv77]

Roots came out in the 70s.

[@stephentaylor2119]

It was totally made up, Alex Hailey later admitted to it.

[@tng2057]

@ Hailey did admit that his story was made up. However The Gambia area had undeniably been a slave trade center and according to international researchers including The Gambia local ones there was indeed a young man resembled that of Kunta Kinte hence ‘he’ was adopted by The Gambia as a symbol of a slave trade victims.

[@cTc10691]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has an article in its name too!

[@Brown-Dude47]

Petition for a video: Why Butan DOES NOT recognize so many countries?

[@EbrimaSaho-vf1lh]

The Gambia 🇬🇲❤️

[@mateuszjanysek698]

Wow, 40 seconds ago, I've never been earlier on any vid

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

Is this the first time that we see "General Knowledge" in person? 🤔😁♥️

[@geoforamorio]

I knew the history of Gambia and have read how it established, close to the Gambia river. I think it's the best place to visit in the West Africa, right now!

[@lazyboy300]

ah, tem um video bom sobre o país do canal history matters, incluindo uma alfinetada nos portugueses em 0:38 😅

[@JoseFerreira-vj3lq]

Na realidade essas "alfinetadas" (és brazuca, certo? Certo...😂) são mesmo picadas de alfinete e são-nos completamente indiferentes. Não há nada que possa mudar a História e ela é como é. Não se romantiza nem dramatiza a História. O que pode ser mudado é o presente, e atualmente no teu Brasil, os nativos continuam sem acecer aos recursos naturais incluindo o ouro extraído que é em muito maior quantidade do que foi no séc XVIII. Já os descendentes dos escravos, a grande maioria continua a viver na miséria. Aliás, os portugueses deram a independência ao Brasil, e os brasileiros continuaram com a escravatura e o seu tráfico. 200 anos depois o Brasil não consegue resolver a sua incompetência e culpa os portugueses por todos os males. Vá, agora faz queixa ao ministro do Lula 😂😂😂😂

[@alt1f4]

Gee! Thats a cool thumbail, wonder If theres's another "River country" in africa i think thats so cool!!!!😊😊😊😊

[@palomoyo5896]

Possible The Gambia is the only one entirely lined with a river. Malawi on the other hand is shaped almost entirely around lake Malawi... almost half of it's vertical land mass is shaped around the lake it shares with Zambia

[@alt1f4]

@@palomoyo5896 i think you're missing one...

[@Crackelacker]

Which one? ​@@alt1f4

[@JaffaJannu]

Here in Finland atleast some Moomin mugs are quite expensive collectables.

[@fatalalchemy602]

I much prefer videos without cuts to you on camera. Better to fill it with more photos and animations imo.

[@KingAlton9403]

2:24 Damn, that building looks sick!

[@General.Knowledge]

It's very cool!

[@alantucker1550]

Thank you

[@abliebojang8825]

That’s The Gambia’s National Assembly building

[@Musadem25]

My beautiful Gambia ❤😊

[@paintingdreams290]

from what we've been taught abt our legal framework, Australia is a constitutional monarchy w the British monarch as head of state

[@kennethparris2068]

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, and some smaller places are Commonwealth Realms with the British Sovereign as the titular head of state. The Sovereign is represented by a Governor General. The Gambia, Ghana, Barbados, and others are Commonwealth Republics with a president as head of state.

[@davidreichert9392]

A rare case where you did not have the correct fact (but you did ask for a fact check, so, respect to you). Australia and New Zealand are not republics. They, along with 12 other countries (incl. Canada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea etc.) continue to have the same person as the United Kingdom for their monarch (but not the Monarch of the UK, but rather the Monarch of Australia, Monarch of New Zealand etc), represented locally by a Governor General. These 14 countries, along with the UK itself are known as Commonwealth Realms. The other countries of the Commonwealth I believe are all republics (if any aren't they have an entirely different monarchy) Then there are the British Overseas Territories, but that's a whole other topic. I hope this helps. On a different topic: "Narrowest" is indeed a proper word

[@moratoryrobin33]

wdym monarch of australia and monarch of new zealand, our head of state is the UK monarch

[@davidreichert9392]

@@moratoryrobin33 Only if you live in the UK.

[@moratoryrobin33]

@@davidreichert9392 what? in australia and new zealand our head of state is still the british monarch, he doesn't just get a new term cause its a different country

[@davidreichert9392]

@@moratoryrobin33 I'm not going to ask you to take my word for it, instead I suggest you reach out to your MP or another government official in Australia or NZ, whichever in which you reside, and get confirmation either way.

[@boilingwateronthestove]

​​@@moratoryrobin33 Under Australian law the King is the King of Australia, not the UK. Also does it even matter? More than 70% of the people in Australia are ethnically British anyways. New Worlders often like to play the game of pretend as if their forefathers didn't come from Europe. The only ones who truly are allowed to criticize all of this are the Maori and the Aboriginals who you know, are actually are natives instead of a bunch of Europeans who live on the other side of the world because great grandfather John decided to move from Birmingham England to a British colony and steal natives their lands

[@YeenMage]

@2:54 - The Philippines also uses a definite article?

[@oliversissonphone6143]

Union of the Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Maldives, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of the Congo...

[@TheMarineGamerIGGHQ]

Nope it doesn't. Not officially

[@davidhunt6508]

The United States of America

[@pieters542]

The Netherlands

[@9delta988]

Ah Kingdom of the Netherlands, Thank you for enlighting me.

[@joshuafrimpong244]

You missed the soninke-marabout war

[@szbszig]

Although not necessarily part of the official name, the definitive article is still used in everyday speech for many countries, like the Netherlands, the Philippines, etc. Historically, it was used even frequently, see for example the Ukraine.

[@carlwheezer1030]

With these new general knowledge videos it’s like that moment where squidward imagines squilliam naked

[@jefppenamora4156]

The Philippines also uses the article in its name. :)

[@nichtbekanntnein]

2:53 what about The Netherlands and El Salvador?

[@bobb6130]

That’s my Home country ❤🇬🇲🇬🇲

[@CanadaBricks]

You can basically sum up over 75% of colonial history with: "The British"

[@benlee6158]

I'd say The Gambia is the narrowest, and Chile the longest. And damn, you're cute!

[@brahmhenkins8732]

It does look like an appendix...

[@Duranchito]

Oh I been fallowing you for years and I just seeing your very cute face now ! ❤

[@ferretyluv]

It seems like all Portuguese men are handsome. I had anecdotal evidence since I was just there.

[@jerryberry5480]

True, I can’t help but stare at that gorgeous face

[@thekrzak]

Oh I went to The Gambia one year ago

[@theemirofjaffa2266]

Come back again lol

[@theamazingreptar]

In Spanish we just call it Gambia

[@joshuafrimpong244]

Isn't it la Gambia?

[@theamazingreptar]

@@joshuafrimpong244 Nop, just "Gambia"

[@ThatGuy-u4q]

@@joshuafrimpong244I literally just sang out la la la la Gambia like Richie Valence lol

[@mathnerd97]

Fair. But this is about what they call themselves.

[@theamazingreptar]

@@mathnerd97 and my comment is about how we call it in Spanish. They can both exist

[@dragorocky]

EL SALVADOR means “THE” Savior. Just saying. Solid vid tho

[@maho5304]

My country best country in the world welcome you all any time 🎉❤❤

[@justynazujko7892]

So this is your real voice?

[@reddykilowatt]

I think they would have had more success had they been named Gambengal.

[@MrVoyager33]

Australia and New Zealand are still parliamentary constitutional monarchy with the British monarch still being head of state. Tho in Australia there are movements for a Republic Referendum

[@moratoryrobin33]

33% around about for a republic, which isn't the highest it's been, but it is still significant, and probably will increase when the current king dies

[@gabrielgamez5398]

I would like to point out that while I’m sure it’s true about the article “The” in both the Bahamas and The Gambia El Salvador has the same situation only in Spanish

[@hallyuwoodaccess]

Two countries have “The” as an official part of their English names: The Gambia and The Bahamas. The unofficial but politically correct countries whose English name is preceded by a definite article are the ff. The Netherlands The Philippines The Comoros The Congo The Sudan The Ukraine The Mashall Islands The Solomon Islands The Czech Republic The Dominican Republic The Ivory Coast The UAE The United States of America and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

[@jpvansplunder]

I always thought it was "The Netherlands", I guess I was wrong about my own country 😭

[@GobbiExists]

I never saw their face before until now… :D

[@ferretyluv]

I still think it’s weird that if you’re going to make your country based around the river, why not go along the whole river? Why just stop at that one point? The fact that Senegambia failed is an indictment against Panafricanism. If it truly was only colonization that was the problem, then these same tribes should be able to put aside their differences. But because they were colonized by two different powers and so they speak different languages, that’s enough to let it fail.

[@windsurfer8824]

They still speak their native languages alongsides the colonial ones as first languages 🤡 😂. Its not homogeneous, that's why. I'm against pan Africanism, its idealic elorado wakanda nonsense. Trading with each other FIRST, yes.

[@herman6942]

Surely Chile is not the most narrow country. Countries like Luxembourg & Liechtenstein are much narrower, and that isn't even counting city states like Monaco or Singapore

[@lukasrentz3238]

The narrowness is its width compared to its length. Chile is much longer than wide than Liechtenstein or Luxembourg.

[@EngelKristine]

I think Vatican state wins

[@BBQPorkSandwich3]

@@EngelKristinethere is a difference between narrow and small Narrow is when one’s height or with is much smaller than it’s width or height

[@fabiansaah6482]

​@EngelKristine For small, yes - not for narrow.

[@pyrotelekinesis7253]

El Salvador 🇸🇻

[@salamipitza]

2 syllables or less or ending on y: adj + est 3+ syllables: most + adj

[@fidoruh]

I think the U.S. has interesting geography just by the many different natural disasters that can happen. Hurricane, tornado, earthquake, forest fire, lake effect snow and that fact that we have fice lakes made by the ice sheets thay also created fault lines in the areas where they once stood.

[@johnwilson9513]

The Gambia is one of FOUR countries that use "the" before its name.The Philippines,The Bahamas and The Maldives being the other three!

[@jonpaulojequinto4169]

The official name of the Philippines is Republic of the Philippines... So I think it should be included in the list of countries that have a definite article in their official name(although the article doesn't exist in the Filipino translation which is also official). Also, grammatically speaking, saying "the Philippines" instead of just "Philippines" is more correct. I don't know the technicalities that General Knowledge is using, though.

[@Gamrider]

I am a gambian here. Ask me anything??

[@allevuve]

I did not hear in this video wht the borders are so wierd

[@theemirofjaffa2266]

"Ask me anything" dude, you must be a god or something lol

[@Gamrider]

@@theemirofjaffa2266 what do u know about the gambia

[@theemirofjaffa2266]

@@Gamrider I'm gambian lol

[@Gamrider]

@theemirofjaffa2266 good for you.

[@ousmankorita5679]

🖤🇬🇲 Think you

[@urgardista]

Lol. The Commonwealth actually grew in the last decades. Quite a few countries joined up. Some never even been colonies.

[@renotanumber]

you should make a video proving your city exists

[@EBRIMACHAMA1]

Love Gambia

[@dantetre]

2:50 The Muricans want to talk about this. :P

[@jrd1982]

The Gambia's borders are not based on cannonballs, but rather on an agreement between France and the United Kingdom in 1889. However, there is a story that the borders are based on the range of British naval cannon at the time, and that the British claimed the land within cannon range. While there is no historical evidence to support this story, the country's shape is a result of conflict between the two colonizing powers.

[@ZebraAfrica]

For me as an African, it has always been "Gambia". Where does this BS come from placing the word "The" in front of a countries name making it part of it's name? Can we rename USA to "The USA" on maps.

[@dariodiaz5198]

Fact check: THE Philippines, THE Netherlands.

[@davidhunt6508]

The United States of America

[@General.Knowledge]

True! But apparently neither uses the definite article as an official part of the country's name

[@noahbrock349]

The Ukraine.

[@aruak321]

@@noahbrock349 This one is not correct. It's just Ukraine

[@NeroVanLint]

@@aruak321 saying The Ukraine is a dog whistle for putinistas

[@knowstitches7958]

By the way, Gambia became a Republic in 1970, and the then prime minister assumed the presidency.Unlike Australia,Canada, and New Zealand, where the monarchy still exists.Australia and the Gambia both established their national assembly in same year.

[@pedrofr1434]

Australia, New Zealand and Canada still constitutional monarchies with Charles III as their king

[@pcps1426]

Isn't THE Philippines not official?

[@menice6736]

What about the Netherlands?

[@JarnoPeschier]

Here in The Netherlands 🇳🇱 (duh!) we call that country "Gambia" as well. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@roheyjobe7231]

Cool, it’s still THE GAMBIA. Call it what you like.

[@JarnoPeschier]

@roheyjobe7231 It's "The Gambia" in English and the country itself; it really isn't in other languages. Call it what you want too.

[@HatibJaiteh]

Gambia gain independence in 1965.

[@9delta988]

What about The Netherlands?

[@gingersperg]

I don't think you're correct about the definite article. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, for example. A case could be made for any country which goes by 'The Republic of' or any similar name.

[@futureking2333]

Thank God they didn't sell themselves to Senegal like British Cameroon sold itself to Cameroon.

[@Rich-MarsEco]

Why are you so cute!?

[@Nebiyu135]

Wow so Gambia is basically a river in Senegal, similar to how our coastline in Ethiopia is controlled by a brutal dictator under the guise of being a “nation” called Eritrea. Our people are lost to go along with this foolishness

[@rinotilde2699]

2:54 really, only two? How about the Philippines? The Netherlands?

[@GH-oi2jf]

On Dutch maps, the name is just Nederland.

[@ll88rbx]

and it’s just “Pilipinas” in official terms

[@moratoryrobin33]

despite what you said, and good you asked for correction, australia and new zealand are not republics but constitutional monarchies under the british monarch, though in australia there is a republican movement (33% of people want australia to become a republic), as of now australia is still a constitutional monarchy

[@Sharif_karbalai]

It's obvious why. Outside influence

[@DanielAjayi-l9p]

I think there's a country surrounded by south Africa that's smaller than Gambia

[@lazyboy300]

lesoto is larger, but their history is super interesting. it sure deserves a video

[@General.Knowledge]

Slightly larger than The Gambia! But super interesting too.

[@afrkleaks4991]

Me too I don’t understand it doesn’t make any sense, tribalism mindset create hatred between each other, Question is how you going to build great country civilization with little country like that, tribalism mindset destructive only😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@bishalboro3782]

गाम्बिया सेनेगल के ख़िलाफ़ तलवार की तरह वार करता दिख रहा है

[@ThymeHere]

14H 892 L 97 C 874K S 10 635 V OCT 26 2024

[@HagieKonateh]

Senegal must join the Gambia, But the Gambia will never join the Senegal sorry sir.

[@saulalvarez220]

This guy is so cute. I love his smile and positive attitude... dose anyone know his age?

[@evie67892]

He looks young

[@Hession0Drasha]

Saved from speaking french

[@tabajangmulaye4165]

The Gambia is it's own sovereignty and will NEVER join or be part of Senegal

[@Mazco88]

2.4

[@jriv]

El Salvador = The Savior 🤷‍♂️