An ichthyologist's wonderland 魚類學家的異想世界: 甘比亞總論 Introduction to the Gambia, West Africa

甘比亞(The Gambia)是位於西非的一個小國，整個國家被塞內加爾(Senegal)包住。原本是英國在西非的殖民地，在1964年獨立，然而一直是大英國協(commonwealth) 的會員，直到2013年10月宣布退出國協。官方語言是英語，然而國內起碼有超過7種以上的種族方言，以Mandika為主，接下來是Fula、Wolof、Jola、Serahule、Serers 及 Bianunkas (WIKI)。根據非正式調查顯示，Mandinka的女性，以全世界黑人當中算是非常漂亮的。

The Gambia is a small country locating in the West Africa that most of the territory is surrounded by Senegal. It was colonized by the British, becomes an independent country in 1964, and remains a member of the Commonwealth until 2013 Oct. There are at least seven ethnic groups in the Gambia. Mandika is the largest group, and followed by Fula, Wolof, Jola, Serahule, Serers and the Bianunkas (WIKI)

甘比亞位置圖
Location of the Gambia


Mandika族女性，在中部省賣"潛艇堡"的老闆娘 Mandinka women in the Center River Region of the Gambia

馬皇也穿過同款的當地服飾。模特兒: Mr. Bon
One type of the ethnic cloth in the Gambia

現在號稱是民主國家，但就和許多的非洲國家一樣，甘比亞仍然是實質上的軍事獨裁國家。現任的統治者Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh在1994年軍事政變後，一直連選連任至今(2014)。甘比亞自1995年與台灣復交後，一直是我們的邦交國，2012年馬皇還和賈梅單挑伏地挺身，然而就在隔年2013年10月前賈梅突然宣布與台灣斷交。

Although there are elections, the Gambia is de facto ruled by one man, Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh. He took power through an coup d'etat in 1994 and was elected as the president in 1996. He is re-elected at least three times in 2014. The Gambia retains diplomatic relation to Taiwan in 1995, and two countries have a close relationship until 2013 Oct that Jammeh announced the breaking of the diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

與馬皇單挑的賈梅(圖片來源:中央社)
Jammeh makes push-ups with President Ma of Taiwan


台灣2014年的邦交國地圖(圖片來源:外交部+中央社) Countries recognize Taiwan diplomatically in 2014

甘比亞是環繞的甘比亞河(Gambia River)中下游至河口的國家，國界極度往東西向延長，東界範圍應該是以前英國海軍軍艦，能夠往上游走而不至於擱淺的的最極限，而南北界就大約是大砲能夠保護到的最極限範圍。以前奴隸貿易猖獗的時代，甘比亞河就是將內陸的黑奴運出去的重要通道，然而到了現在，仍然可以做為河運之用。

The Gambia is virtually a country of Gambia River from middle reach to the river mouth. It extends extremely in East-West direction. Its eastern boundary is likely the longest distance for the British battleship of the colonization period to go upstream without being stranded. Its north and southern boundaries are perhaps the effective range for their cannons. The Gambia River was notorious as the waterway to transport the slaves from inner Africa. Even now there is no more slave trade, the river transportation is still important for other goods.

往來甘比亞河上下游的貨輪
The cargo in the Gambia River

甘比亞河起源於幾內亞的Fouta Djalon高原，全長將近1200公里，流經塞內加爾南部，及整個的甘比亞。甘比亞河對於甘比亞人民極度重要，因為甘比亞河全年不乾涸，因此即使甘比亞仍然屬於南撒哈拉氣候區，一年有將近七八個月的乾季，但是人民大致上淡水不成問題，也可以來讓牲口喝水。即使是離河岸稍遠的地區，地下水層不深，仍然可以利用水井來供水。

The Gambia River originates in the Fouta Djalon plateau of northern Guinea and flows approximately 1,200 km through southern Senegal and the Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia River plays an crucial role in the livelihood of the Gambians that it remains flowing all year round, even during the dry season that lasts for seven to eight mouths. Essentially the freshwater supply is not a big problem for Gambians as well as their livestock. Even for the regions being a bit far away from the river, the groundwater level is shallow so that it can be easily pumped by the wells.

由日本NGO所打的水井。拍照者:Allen
Wells dug by Japanese NGO. Photoed by Allen

甘比亞河是世界上少數，仍然沒有水壩的大河，也因此甘比亞的電力，目前仍然大多依賴柴油發電機。環繞甘比亞河四周的地區，特別是離開首都Banjul地區，相對來說仍然低度開發。甘比亞河在甘比亞境內，坡度變化相當和緩。在雨季時(大約是六月~十月)，海水就浸入內陸150多公里，一直到Sambang地區，而在乾季(十一月~五月)時，海水甚至可以侵入至內陸250公里的 Kuntaur。

The Gambia River is one of few large river systems without dams or weirs and therefore, presently the power supply of the Gambia still depends strongly on the motored power generator from the diesel. The river is only moderately exploited by small-scale fisheries and the rural regions surrounding the River have limited development. The Gambia River has a flat profile that the saltwater can penetrate 150 km from the river mouth to Sambang during the rain season (Jun to Oct), and up to 250 km to Kuntaur in the end of the dry season (Nov to May).


甘比亞鹹水入侵範圍. The Gambia showing the limits of brackish water in rain and dry season.

甘比亞河有著豐富的生態，河岸兩旁樹木繁生。下游的半淡鹹水區，紅樹林涵養了許多生物，而在淡水區域的河岸，則是茂密的樹林。人民不但可以利用河水灌溉種植稻米，也可以捕撈河裡的魚類，或去獵取森林裡的動物。就算是最懶最懶的人，河岸旁仍有不少芒果樹，通常在乾季的末期結實累累，剛好可解決這最難渡過的日子，因此甘比亞"比較"不會發生糧食上的問題，再加上軍事強人獨裁，政局多年來穩定，所以甘比亞在整個西非來說，是個相對穩定和平的地區。

The Gambia River supports a large ecosystem. The mangroves dominates the brackish lower reach that is the basic nursery for other organisms. The tropical forests occupy the freshwater section in the middle reach that are home to other animals such as crocodiles, hippos and numerous bird species. The Gambians can not only irrigate their crops from the channel networks connected to the River, but also catch the fishes from the River and hunt in the forest. The mango trees widely distributed by the River and they fruits becomes edible and serve as the excellent food for the laziest in the end of the dry season when little crops are available. Because of its nature resources, and in some degrees, the political stability, the Gambia is blessed for the peace without major conflicts, which is quite rare for other African countries.