Banjul, previously (until 1973) Bathurst, city, capital, and Atlantic port of The Gambia, on St. Mary's Island, close to the mouth of the Gambia River. It is the country's biggest city. It was established in 1816, when the British Colonial Office requested Captain Alexander Grant to lay out a base on the stream to smother the slave exchange and to act as an exchange source for traders catapulted from Senegal, which had been reestablished to France. Award picked Banjul Island (surrendered by the head of Kombo) as the site, which he renamed St. Mary's. He named the new settlement for Henry Bathurst, third Earl Bathurst, then, at that point, pilgrim secretary. It turned into the capital of the British province and protectorate of Gambia and after 1947 was represented by a town board. With The Gambia's freedom in 1965, the town was allowed city status and turned into the public capital. The name was changed to Banjul in 1973.

Banjul is The Gambia's business and transportation focus. It has a few nut (groundnut) decorticating plants and oil factories; peanuts, nut oil and feast, and palm pieces are traded. The travel industry is of expanding significance, easing a portion of the metropolitan joblessness issue and empowering craftsmanship (wood carvings, filigree gems, hand-colored fabric) businesses. Banjul is associated with the inside and Senegal by means of a 3-mile (5-km) ship toward the north across the Gambia River (to Barra) and by the Banjul-Serekunda Highway. A customary liner administration works to Basse Santa Su, 242 miles (389 km) upstream. The Gambia's global air terminal is at Yundum, 18 miles (30 km) southwest.