The new Dalasi bank notes without the portrait of the former President Yahya Jammeh has gone into circulation on Tuesday, according to Central Bank officials.

The new notes now bear features considered representative of The Gambia. New features include various bird species in the country and historical sites.

The Central Bank governor, Bakary Jammeh, had earlier on Monday presented copies of the new notes to President Adama Barrow at State House.

The new notes are a total overhaul of the denominations that include 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200.

The notes have now been released to the public through commercial banks.

Bank officials say the aim is to reduce the sizes of the national currency notes to achieve efficiency and introduce new security features.

The new notes, according to the bank officials, have advanced security features that would make counterfeiting difficult.

Gambia uses the dalasi and has been in circulation since independence in 1965.