Map of The Gambia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean almost completely surrounded by Senegal

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total: total: 11,300 km²

Land boundaries: total 740 km, Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specified
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Maritime claims

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%

Irrigated land: 120 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 930,249 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 3.07% (1993 est.)

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: 3.07% (1993 est.)

Birth rate: 46.85 births/1000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate: 16.1 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)

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: 126.3 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Male: 47.41 years
Female: 51.87 years (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.35 children born/woman (1993 est.)

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
Total population: 27%
Male: 39%
Female: 16%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
Conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions:

Dependent areas

Independence:

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution: 24 April 1970

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

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
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH
In the us chancery: Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
From the us embassy: Pipeline Road (Kairaba Avenue), Fajara, Banjul
From the us mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
From the us telephone: 220 92,856 or 92,858, 91,970, 91,971
From the us fax: (220) 92,475

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 $325. 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).

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (1991)

Real gdp per capita ppp

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; other principal crops - millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm kernels; livestock - cattle, sheep, 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:

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 $94 million; expenditures $80 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (FY91 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

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: $133 million (f.o.b., FY91 est.)
Commodoties: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
Partners: Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1%, other 5% (1989)

Imports: $174 million (f.o.b., FY91 est.)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Partners: Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR and Eastern Europe 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


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Electricity access

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

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP

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
Usable: 1
With permanentsurface runways: 1
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 0

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 400 km

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs