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 1996 constitution and presidential elections followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997 completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early 2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH the leader of the coup has been elected president in all subsequent elections.

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N 16 34 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 11,300 km²
Land: 10,000 km²
Water: 1,300 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries
Total: 740 km
Border countries: (1) Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specified
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 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
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use
Arable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 0.5%
Other: 74.5% (2001)

Irrigated land: 20 km² (1998 est.)

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

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

Population: 1,546,848 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 2.98% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Gambian
Adjective: Gambian

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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 347,349; female 344,264)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 403,297; female 410,382)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 21,459; female 20,097) (2004 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.5 years
Male: 17.4 years
Female: 17.7 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 40.3 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 12.08 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.57 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 73.48 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 80.14 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 66.62 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.79 years
Male: 52.76 years
Female: 56.87 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.46 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 6,800 (2003 est.)
Deaths: 600 (2003 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 40.1%
Male: 47.8%
Female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

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

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 18 February (1965)

Constitution: 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held October 2006)
Election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January 2007)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders
Note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C ECOWAS FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ITU MIGA NAM OIC ONUB OPCW UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMEE UNMIL UNOCI UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lena Manga Sagnia SECK
In the us chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
In the us fax: [1] (202) 785-1430
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD
From the us embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
From the us mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
From the us telephone: [220] 392,856, 392,858, 391,971
From the us fax: [220] 392,475

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

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 a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons have seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high. Shortrun economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid on responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice and on expected growth in the construction sector.

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1700 (2003 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 46.8%
Industry: 9.3%
Services: 43.8% (2003 est.)

Agriculture products: rice millet sorghum peanuts corn sesame cassava (tapioca) palm kernels; cattle sheep goats

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Labor force: 400,000 (1996)
By occupation agriculture: 75%
By occupation industry commerce and services: 19%
By occupation government: 6%

Unemployment rate: NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Budget
Revenues: $58.63 million
Expenditures: $62.64 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2003 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 14% (2003 est.)

Current account balance: $-42 million (2003)

Exports: $156 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: peanut products fish cotton lint palm kernels re-exports
Partners: UK 26.7% Belgium 6.7% China 6.7% Germany 6.7% Italy 6.7% Malaysia 6.7% Thailand 6.7% (2003)

Imports: $271 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs manufactures fuel machinery and transport equipment
Partners: China 24.9% Senegal 8.9% Brazil 6.8% UK 6.6% US 5.6% Netherlands 5% India 4.9% (2003)

Debt external: $476 million (2001 est.)

Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar - NA (2003) 19.9182 (2002) 15.6872 (2001) 12.7876 (2000) 11.3951 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 85.33 million kWh (2001)
Consumption: 79.36 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 38,400 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 100,000 (2002)

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available
Domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
International: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Internet
Country code: .gm
Hosts: 568 (2004)
Users: 25,000 (2002)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $900,000 (2003)
Percent of gdp: 0.3% (2003)

Airports: 1 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Waterways: 390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2004)

Merchant marine: none (2004 est.)

Disputes international: attempts to stem refugees cross-border raids arms smuggling other illegal activities and political instability from separatist movement in southern Senegal's Casamance region