Serrekunda
Serrekunda outgrew the capital tenfold: The Gambia's largest city hosts 400,000 residents seeking employment as tourism and groundnuts sustain the narrow nation.
Serrekunda demonstrates how secondary cities can outgrow capitals in compact African nations. This largest urban center in The Gambia, with approximately 400,000 residents, exceeds the capital Banjul's population by a factor of ten. The city sprawls along the Atlantic coast, absorbing rural migrants seeking employment opportunities in the greater Banjul area's services and informal sectors.
The Gambia's economy depends heavily on tourism, groundnut exports, and remittances. Beach resorts along the coast attract European winter tourists, creating seasonal employment peaks. The groundnut trade, once dominant, has declined relative to tourism and services. The Gambia River bisects the narrow country, complicating transport and connecting rural areas to coastal commerce.
Serrekunda's growth reflects urbanization patterns across West Africa, where primary cities absorb population growth even without proportional formal employment creation. The city hosts markets, informal manufacturing, and service providers catering to both residents and tourists. Infrastructure struggles to keep pace with population growth, while proximity to Banjul's governmental functions creates a continuous urban corridor along the coast.