In Gambia there is a strong link between the biodiversity and its cultural diversity.

The rapid increase in population is currently having a negative effect on the biodiversity in
Gambia. The more people that there are in Gambia, the more land they need for those people.
They need the land to use for housing; making homes and building that people can
live in. They also need the land for agriculture. Creating crops and farms that will provide
and grow the food for all of these new people Gambia. Gambia is majorly used for
agriculture, and agriculture plays a key role for human life and survival. Not only to grow
food, but to create and withhold jobs in this country. Although that it is a good thing that
there is a rush to create a way of life in Gambia, but with that come a great sacrifice when it
comes to the biodiversity. There is a lot of pressure on the goods of the land to provide for all
of these people in Gambia. With the population growing at about a 2% increase each year,
the percent of the land that needs to be used is increasing very rapidly as well.
Because of the effects on natural resources, there has been climate change in Gambia.
The amount of rain fall has decreased, resulting in a drought and further effecting the crops
and farm life. With the drought effecting the crops and making them fail, this hurt the
population. The people of Gambia have less food to go around because the crops are failing.

Gambia has over one-hundred different species of mammals, over forty species of
reptiles, and about thirty species of amphibians making an overall total of over one-hundred
and ninety species throughout Gambia. Some of the human activity that has occurred in
Gambia. The need for food as depleted the amount of fish species that are in and around

Gambia. Fish such as lobsters, sharks, and catfish. All of these fish are now caught and then
sold for profit and to feed the population. Before the population explosion in Gambia, all or
most of these fish were safe where they were.

Over the years Gambia has done its best to start to conserve its wildlife and plant life.
There was a new forestry policy. The policy makers made sure that the provisions in the
policy to match what the Biological Diversity (CBD) and other international agreements.
Although Gambia is not very large in area (10,000 sq. km) there is a very large
amount of cultural diversity. It is very common for people who live in Gambia to be multilingual, knowing about three of four different language. There is a large influence of Islam in
Gambia; because of this it is said that this is why Gambia is known for being a rather
peaceful place compared to other countries in Africa.
There is this vicious cycle that is going on between biodiversity and population
diversity. The increase in population has had a negative effect on the biodiversity of the
country. Now that the population has grown so much and is in need of so much land and
animals that there is not enough to go around; or not as much as some would like. This has
effected those who are poverty stricken in this country,

Gambian Culture, Society & Traditions. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2015, from
http://www.accessgambia.com/information/culture-traditions.html

NATIONAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2015, from
https://www.cbd.int/doc/world/gm/gm-nr-01-en.pdf
Environment: Biodiversity and poverty: The Gambian challenge. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9,
2015, from http://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/environment-biodiversity-and-povertythe-gambian-challenge