Map of The Gambia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity.


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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 area total: 11,300 km²
Land: 10,000 km²

Land boundaries: total 740 km, Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specified
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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: rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last thirty years

Geography
Note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa


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Population: 959,300 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.08% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Gambian(s)

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: 3.08% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 46.39 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 15.64 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 123.5 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 50.08 years
Male: 47.83 years
Female: 52.39 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.29 children born/woman (1994 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 est.)
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:

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Dependent areas

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 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: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state and head of government:President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970; Vice President Saihou SABALLY (since NA; election last held on 29 April 1992 (next to be held April 1997; results - Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP) 58.5%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 22.2%, Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 8.0%

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, National Gendarmerie, National Police
House of Representatives: elections last held on 29 April 1992 (next to be held April 1997); results - PPP 58.1%, seats - (43 total, 36 elected) PPP 30, NCP 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Arlene RENDER
From the us chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005
From the us telephone: [220] 92,856 or 92,858, 91,970, 91,971
From the us fax: (220) 92,475
From the us embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
From the us mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul

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 roughly $800. 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. A sustained structural adjustment program, including a liberalized trade policy, has fostered a respectable 4% rate of growth in recent years. Re-export trade constitutes one-third of economic activity; however, border closures associated with Senegal's monetary crisis in late 1993 led to a 50% decline in re-export trade, reducing government revenues in turn. Devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 has made Senegalese goods more competitive, and is likely to prompt a relaxation of Senegalese controls, paving the way for a comeback in re-exports.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.5% (FY92 est)

Real gdp per capita: $800 (1993 est.)

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: 6.7% (year NA; 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%
By occupation note: 55% population of working age (1983)

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

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: $164 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)
Commodities: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
Partners: Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1%, other 5% (1989)

Imports: $214 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)
Commodities: 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: $336 million (December 1990 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1 - 9.440 (November 1993), 8.888 (1992), 8.803 (1991), 7.883 (1990), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988)


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Electricity
Capacity: 30,000 kW
Production: 65 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 75 kWh (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
Dollar figure: $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

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 400 km

Merchant marine: 1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,194 GRT/19,394 DWT

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs