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. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity but a new 1996 constitution and presidential elections followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997 have completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The Gambia recently emerged from its isolation to accept a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council during 1998-99.


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Location: Western Africa bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N 16 34 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries

Coastline: 80 km

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

Irrigated land: 150 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years

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


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Population: 1,367,124 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 3.2% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42% Fula 18% Wolof 16% Jola 10% Serahuli 9% other 4%) non-African 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: 3.2% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 42.28 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 13.21 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.97 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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: 79.29 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Banjul

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); note - 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; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in January 1997

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: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (49 seats; 45 elected by popular vote 4 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB C CCC ECA ECOWAS FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Intelsat (nonsignatory user) Interpol IOC ITU NAM OAU OIC OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

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. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts fish and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity but the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 made Senegalese goods more competitive and hurt the reexport trade. The Gambia has benefited from a rebound in tourism after its decline in response to the military's takeover in July 1994. Short-run economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid and on responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice. Annual GDP growth is expected to fall to less than 4% over 2000-01.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.2% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: peanuts millet sorghum rice corn cassava (tapioca) palm kernels; cattle sheep goats; forest and fishery resources not fully exploited

Industries: processing peanuts fish and hides; tourism; beverages; agricultural machinery assembly woodworking metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 400,000
By occupation agriculture: 75%
By occupation industry commerce and services: 19%
By occupation government: 6%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.5% (1999 est.)

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: $132 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: peanuts and peanut products fish cotton lint palm kernels
Partners: Benelux 78% Japan UK Hong Kong France Spain (1997)

Imports: $201 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: foodstuffs manufactures fuel machinery and transport equipment
Partners: Hong Kong UK Netherlands Cote d'Ivoire France Senegal Belgium (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $430 million (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1 - 11.626 (November 1999) 10.643 (1998) 10.200 (1997) 9.789 (1996) 9.546 (1995)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 75 million kWh (1998)

Electricity consumption: 70 million kWh (1998)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity imports: 0 kWh (1998)

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: 4,485 (1998)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1 million (FY96/97)
Percent of gdp: 2% (FY96/97)

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 (1999 est.)

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways: 400 km

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs