Central River was the largest of the five administrative divisions of the Gambia. Its capital was Janjanbureh (formerly Georgetown), on MacCarthy Island. The largest settlement was Bansang, with an estimated population in 2008 of 8,381.Until 1995 the division was known as MacCarthy Island Division, which had been established as one of five administrative areas of Gambia Protectorate in the early 20th century.