Serekunda | |
---|---|
City | |
Coordinates: 13°26′N 16°40′W / 13.433°N 16.667°W | |
Country | Gambia |
Division | Kanifing |
Founded by | Sayerr Jobe |
Named for | Founder |
Population (2021)
[1] | |
• Total | 340,000 |
Time zone | 0 GMT |
Serekunda (proper: Sayerr Kunda or Sere Kunda, sometimes spelled Serrekunda) is the largest urban centre in The Gambia. [2] It is situated close to the Atlantic coast, 13 km (8 mi) south-west of the capital, Banjul, [3] and is formed of nine villages which have grown together into a larger urban area.
Serekunda was founded in the second half of the 19th century by Sayerr Jobe, a Wolof man originally from Koki in the Kingdom of Cayor, in what is now northern Senegal. At the time Sukuta was the only nearby settlement, and the area was a thick forest. [4] The name 'Serekunda' is a corruption of 'Sayerr Kunda', meaning 'the home of Sayerr's family'. [3]
1973 | 1983 | 1993 | 2007 | 2021 |
---|---|---|---|---|
25,505 | 70,435 | 194,987 | 348,118 [3] | 340,000 |
The following districts form part of Serekunda:
13°26′N 16°40′W / 13.433°N 16.667°W