Background: In the 10th century, Muslim merchants established some of The Gambia’s earliest large settlements as trans-Saharan trade hubs. These settlements eventually grew into major export centers sending slaves, gold, and ivory across the Sahara. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, European colonial powers began establishing trade with The Gambia. In 1664, the United Kingdom established a colony in The Gambia focused on exporting enslaved people across the Atlantic. During the roughly 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the UK and other European powers may have exported as many as 3 million people from The Gambia. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed the short-lived confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1994, Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup overthrowing the president and banning political activity. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs.

Area
Total: 11,300 km²
Land: 10,120 km²
Water: 1,180 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries
Total: 749 km
Border countries (1): (1) Senegal 749 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: extent 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
Highest point: unnamed elevation 63 m; 3 km southeast of the town of Sabi
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 34 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 22% (2023 est.)
Other: 15.4% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 50 km² (2012)

Major rivers: Gambia river mouth (shared with Senegal and Guinea [s]) - 1,094 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Natural hazards: droughts

Geography
Note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the African mainland

Population
Total: 2,523,327 (2024 est.)
Male: 1,250,490
Female: 1,272,837
Distribution: settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Growth rate: 2.16% (2024 est.)

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

Religions: Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127)
65 years and over: 3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 72.1 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 65.7 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 15.8 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 20.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 19.8 years
Female: 20.6 years

Population growth rate: 2.16% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 27.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023)
Population note: includes the local government areas of Banjul and Kanifing

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 39.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 32.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 66.7 years
Female: 70.1 years

Total fertility rate: 3.52 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 9.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 14.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 25.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 68% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 40.6% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.6% (2020 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.5% (2024 est.); 6.5% (2023 est.); 6.1% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Banjul
Geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name derives from a misunderstanding between Portuguese colonists and inhabitants in the 15th century; when asked what the area was called, the inhabitants thought they were being asked what they were doing and replied, 'bangjulo,' or 'rope making'

Administrative divisions: 5 regions, 1 city*, and 1 municipality**; Banjul*, Central River, Kanifing**, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, West Coast

Legal system: mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022)
Head of government: Vice President Mohammed JALLOW (since 23 February 2024)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); vice president appointed by the president
Most recent election date: 4 December 2021
2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (NPP) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (UDP) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 12.3%, other 6.8%
2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1%
Expected date of next election: 2026

Legislative branch
Legislature name: National Assembly
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 58 (53 directly elected; 5 appointed)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 4/9/2022
Parties elected and seats per party: National People's Party (NPP) (18); United Democratic Party (UDP) (15); National Reconciliation Party (NRP) (4); Independents (12); Other (4)
Percentage of women in chamber: 8.6%
Expected date of next election: April 2,027

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

National anthem
Title: 'For The Gambia, Our Homeland'
Lyrics/music: Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE
History: adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song 'Foday Kaba Dumbuya'

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 5.7% (2024 est.); 4.8% (2023 est.); 5.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 5.7% (2024 est.); 4.8% (2023 est.); 5.5% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 83.2% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 8.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 39% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 6.6% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 24.1% (2024 est.)
Industry: 14.7% (2024 est.)
Services: 53.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industries: peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 783,100 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 6.5% (2024 est.); 6.5% (2023 est.); 6.1% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 6.5% (2024 est.); 6.5% (2023 est.); 6.1% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $308.887 million (2018 est.)
Expenditures: $221.137 million (2018 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Exports: $838.409 million (2024 est.); $717.774 million (2023 est.); $267.377 million (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: packaged medicine, cars, harvesting machinery, refined petroleum, trailers (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $1.549 billion (2024 est.); $1.353 billion (2023 est.); $829.516 million (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cotton fabric, iron alloys, rice (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 162,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 410.824 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 104.176 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 65.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 82.8%
Access electrification - rural areas: 31.2%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 2.731 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 60,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2.68 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2021 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 46% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 6,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Military expenditures: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 1 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 15 (2023)
By type: general cargo 5, other 10