Map of The Gambia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 11,300 km²
Land: 10,000 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: 740 km; Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specific
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November; cooler, dry season (November to May)

Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 16%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 9%; forest and woodland 20%; other 55%; includes irrigated 3%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 902,089 (July 1992), growth rate 3.1% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Gambian(s; adjective - Gambian

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%; non-Gambian 1%

Languages: English (official; Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 47 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 17 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation
Current issues note:

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 129 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 51 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 6.4 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution: 24 April 1970

Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 21
House of Representatives:
President:

Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation:
Diplomatic representation:
US:

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income of about $230. About 75% of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which contribute 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing activity - processing peanuts, fish, and hides - accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry. The Gambia imports one-third of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports are concentrated on peanut products (about 75% of total value).
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $207 million, per capita $235; real growth rate 3% (FY91 est.)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the population; imports one-third of food requirements; major export crop is peanuts; the other principal crops - millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm kernels; livestock - cattle, sheep, and goats; forestry and fishing resources not fully exploited

Industries: peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 6.7%; accounts for 5.8% of GDP (FY90)

Labor force: 400,000 (1986 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 75.0%
By occupation industry commerce and services: 18.9%
By occupation government: 6.1%
Note: 55% population of working age (1983)
Organized labor: 25-30% of wage labor force

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $79 million; expenditures $84 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $116 million (f.o.b., FY90)
Commodoties: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
Partners: Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1, other 5% (1989)

Imports: $147 million (f.o.b., FY90)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Partners: Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR/EE 9%, US 6%, other 3% (1989)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1 - 8.790 (March 1992), 8.803 (1991), 7.883 (1990), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987)


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Electricity
Production: 30,000 kW capacity; 65 million kWh produced, 75 kWh per capita (1991)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - more than $1 million, 0.7% of GDP (1989)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 400 km

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs