why is it called the gambia and not gambia
The Gambia The name "Gambia" is derived from the Mandinka term Kambra/Kambaa, meaning Gambia river. According to the CIA World Factbook, the US Department of State, the Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World and the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names for British Official Use, The Gambia is one of only two countries whose self-standing short name for official use should begin with the word "The" (the other one being The Bahamas).[13] Upon independence in 1965, the country used the name The Gambia. Following the proclamation of a republic in 1970, the long-form name of the country became Republic of The Gambia.[14] The administration of Yahya Jammeh changed the long-form name to Islamic Republic of The Gambia in December 2015.[15] On 29 January 2017 the new President Adama Barrow said the country's name will[when?] go back to Republic of The Gambia.[16][17]
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo ( pronunciation (help·info) French: République démocratique du Congo [kɔ̃ɡo]), also known as DR Congo, the DRC, Congo-Kinshasa, East Congo, or simply the Congo,[7][8] is the southernmost country located in Central Africa. It is sometimes referred to by its former name of Zaire, which was its official name between 1971 and 1997. The DRC borders the Central African Republic to the north; South Sudan to the northeast; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the east; Zambia to the south; Angola to the southwest; and the Republic of the Congo and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It is the second-largest country in Africa after Algeria (the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa) by area and the 11th-largest in the world. With a population of over 78 million,[3] the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most populated officially Francophone country, the fourth-most-populated country in Africa, and the 16th-most-populated country in the world.