The Gambia is a small West African country, surrounded by Senegal, with a narrow Atlantic coastline. The smallest country on the mainland of Africa, The Gambia is known for its diverse ecosystems around the central Gambia River. The country has a population of just over 2 million inhabitants.

From 1994 to 2016, The Gambia was ruled by President Yaya Jammeh, who was regularly accused of human rights violations and limiting freedoms of speech and expression. In 2016, following his defeat in the presidential elections by Adama Barrow, The Gambia experienced its first successful democratic transition of power in more than 20 years.