Senegambia, a territory subject to France, situated on the west coast of Africa and embracing the colony of Senegal proper and various protected states, as Cayor and Salum (along the Atlantic), Damga, Bambuk, Bundu, and others lying between the Atlantic Ocean and the Senegal and Gambia rivers—the word ‘Senegambia’ (not used by the French) is compounded of the names of these two rivers. Until 1890 Senegambia included the region known as the ‘Rivers of the South’ (Casamance, Casini, Nunez, Pongo, and others), and certain districts on the Gold Coast; but at the date quoted the more southerly region (Rivières du Sud) was placed under a separate lieutenant-governor, who resides at Konakry on the Dubreka, and the Gold Coast districts were divided into two distinct and independent colonies, the Gold Coast districts and the Bight of Benin districts. On the other hand, farther north, the French claim the Atlantic coast southwards from Cape Blanco to the mouth of the Senegal; whilst inland they have extended their authority over Futa-Jallon, Beledugu, and Macina as far as the Joliba (Niger). These several protected states of the interior are generally called collectively the French Soudan, and are administered by an officer under the governor of Senegal. Moreover in virtue of recent treaties—e.g. with Great Britain in August 1890—the vast expanse of the Sahara south of Algiers and Tunis, right up to the Niger, and to a line drawn eastwards from Say on that river to Barruva on Lake Tsad, is recognised as being within the French ‘sphere of influence;’ and in 1894 France worked her way down the Niger to Timbuctoo. South of the Niger also she has fairly begun to establish herself, for in 1889 Captain Binger proclaimed in agreement with the native chiefs a protectorate over the Kong states, an immense area stretching almost down to the Gulf of Guinea, from 8° 30’ to 12° N. lat. Thus the territory claimed by France in this part of Africa extends from Tunis to Sokoto and the Gulf of Guinea, and from the Atlantic and the frontier of Morocco to Lake Tsad. The only interruptions to the continuity of this vast area are the British colonies of Gambia and Sierra Leone, Liberia, certain Portuguese territories of no great extent, and the numerous small colonies belonging to different European powers on the Guinea coast.
Of this gigantic territory France actually occupies little more than the colonies of Senegal, ‘Rivers of the South,’ and the two groups on the Gold Coast. These are estimated to have a total area of 165,000 sq. m. and a total pop. of 200,000. The people belong for the most part to the Peullh and Mandingo tribes of Negroes, and are in part Moslems, in part fetich-worshippers. The ‘French Soudan’ has an area of probably 50,000 sq. m. and an estimated pop. of nearly 300,000. The principal geographical feature in these united regions is the plateau (2000 to 4000 feet) of Futa-Jallon; from its valleys issue many rivers that flow (e.g. the Gambia) west and south-west to the Atlantic, north to the Senegal, and east and north-east to the Joliba (Niger). The villages of the natives are chiefly planted beside these various watercourses. Ground-nuts, gums, india-rubber, timber (including ‘Senegal ebony;’ see DALBERGIA), and other wild products constitute the bulk of the exports, which reach an annual value of £662,000 (three-fourths to France). The imports (textiles, liquors, and food-stuffs) are valued at £1,120,000 (nearly half from France). St Louis (q.v.) is the principal town in these colonies. The French first settled in this part of Africa about the beginning of the 17th century; but the settlements (more than once captured by the English and again restored) languished until the appointment of General Faidherbe as governor in 1854. He began a most vigorous line of action, subdued the Berber chiefs who prevented the French advance inland, and annexed their territories. This policy was pursued in the same spirit by subsequent governors; districts were annexed and protectorates proclaimed with extraordinary celerity, though the two powerful chiefs Ahmadou and Samory occasioned them a great deal of trouble during the years 1887 to 1890.
See Sénégal et Niger (an official publication, Paris, 1884); Faidherbe, Le Soudan Français (Lille, 1881–85); Annales Sénégalaises (1886); and Bull. Soc. de Géographie (1891).