Gambia Population: 1,797,860
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| Background | |
| The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections including most recently in late 2006. |
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| Geography | |
| Almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa | |
| Location: | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal |
| Geographic coordinates: | 13 28 N, 16 34 W |
| Area: | total: 11,295 sq km land: 10,000 sq km water: 1,295 sq km Size comparison: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km |
| Coastline: | 80 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: extent not specified |
| 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 highest point: unnamed elevation 53 m |
| Natural resources: | fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon |
| Land use: | arable land: 27.88% permanent crops: 0.44% other: 71.68% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 20 sq km (2008) |
| Natural hazards: | drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years) |
| Current Environment Issues: | deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent |
| International Environment 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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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| People | |
| Population: | 1,797,860 (July 2011 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 40% (male 360,732/female 358,440) 15-64 years: 56.9% (male 501,946/female 520,826) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 26,645/female 29,271) (2011 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 19.4 years male: 19.2 years female: 19.7 years (2011 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.396% (2011 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 34.19 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 71.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 77.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 65.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 63.51 years male: 61.23 years female: 65.86 years (2011 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 4.23 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 2% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 18,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian |
| Ethnic groups: | African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census) |
| Religions: | Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2% |
| Languages: | English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Banjul geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western |
| Independence: | 18 February 1965 (from the UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 18 February (1965) |
| Constitution: | approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997 |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Yahya 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 JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 22 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Yahya JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa SALLAH 6% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; members to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH] (the ruling party); Gambia People's Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for Democracy and Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Halifa SALLAH]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | National Environment Agency or NEA; West African Peace Building Network-Gambian Chapter or WANEB-GAMBIA; Youth Employment Network Gambia or YENGambia other: special needs group advocates; teachers and principals |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Alieu Momodou NGUM chancery: Suite 240, Georgetown Plaza, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379, 1399, 1425 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela WHITE embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170 FAX: [220] 439-2475 |
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| Economy | |
| The Gambia has sparse natural resource deposits and a limited agricultural base, and relies in part on remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts. About three-quarters of the population depends on the agricultural sector for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa, boosted by government and private sector investments in eco-tourism and upscale facilities. In the past few years, The Gambia's re-export trade - traditionally a major segment of economic activity - has declined, but its banking sector has grown rapidly. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain high; economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, and on continued technical assistance from multilateral and bilateral donors. The quality of fiscal management, however, is weak. The government has promised to raise civil service wages over the next two years and the deficit is projected to worsen. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.494 billion (2010 est.) $3.304 billion (2009 est.) $3.098 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $1.067 billion (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 5.7% (2010 est.) 6.7% (2009 est.) 6.3% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,900 (2010 est.) $1,900 (2009 est.) $1,800 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 29% industry: 15.3% services: 55.8% (2010 est.) |
| Labor force: | 777,100 (2007) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 75% industry: 19% services: 6% (1996) |
| Unemployment rate: | NA% |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 36.9% (2003) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 50.2 (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5% (2010 est.) 4.6% (2009 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 27.7% of GDP (2010 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $179.7 million expenditures: $200.8 million (2010 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: | 8.9% note: although The Gambia had the highest industrial growth rate in the world in 2009, this growth is from a tiny industrial base (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 220 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 204.6 million kWh (2008 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2009 est.) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 2,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 42 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - imports: | 2,807 bbl/day (2009 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$111 million (2010 est.) -$97.1 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $103.4 million (2010 est.) $94.8 million (2009 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels |
| Exports - partners: | India 40.8%, China 15.6%, France 11.9%, UK 6.6%, US 4.5% (2010) |
| Imports: | $332.5 million (2010 est.) $297.3 million (2009 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment |
| Imports - partners: | China 22.3%, Senegal 10.7%, Brazil 9.7%, Cote dIvoire 5.4%, India 5.2%, Netherlands 4.2% (2010) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $165.3 million (31 December 2010 est.) $224.2 million (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $525.7 million (31 December 2010 est.) $479 million (31 December 2009 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 28.5193 (2010) 26.6444 (2009) 22.75 (2008) 27.79 (2007) 28.066 (2006) |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 49,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 1.433 million (2009) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate microwave radio relay and open-wire network; state-owned Gambia Telecommunications partially privatized in 2007 domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity, aided by multiple mobile-cellular providers, approached 85 per 100 persons in 2009 international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; a landing station for the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) undersea fiber-optic cable is scheduled for completion in 2011; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2009) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .gm |
| Internet hosts: | 1,453 (2010) |
| Internet users: | 130,100 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 1 (2010) country comparison to the world: 217 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2010) |
| Roadways: | total: 3,742 km paved: 723 km unpaved: 3,019 km (2004) |
| Waterways: | 390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2010) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 5 by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Banjul |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Office of the Chief of Defense Staff: Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Republican National Guard (RNG) (2011) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 423,306 females age 16-49: 438,641 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 315,176 females age 16-49: 347,017 (2010 est.) |
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