The Gambia

• tropical;
• hot, rainy season (June to November);
• cooler, dry season (November to May)

• 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

noun:

Gambian(s)

adjective:

Gambian

total:

20.5 years (2025 est.)

male:

19.8 years

female:

20.6 years

• 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

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.)

total:

35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

39.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

32.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

68.4 years (2024 est.)

male:

66.7 years

female:

70.1 years

total:

2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

8.6% (2025 est.)

male:

17% (2025 est.)

female:

0.5% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

5.6% (2020)

women married by age 18:

23.1% (2020)

men married by age 18:

0.2% (2020)

• deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture;
• desertification;
• water pollution;
• water-borne diseases

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

• tropical;
• hot, rainy season (June to November);
• cooler, dry season (November to May)

urban population:

64.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

193,400 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

13% (2022 est.)

municipal:

41.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

39.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form:

The Gambia

etymology:

• named for the Gambia River that flows through the country;
• Portuguese explorers in the 15th century derived the name for the river from its local name, Ba-Dimma, meaning "the river"

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"

history:

previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997

amendment process:

• proposed by the National Assembly;
• passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly membership in each of several readings and approval by the president of the republic;
• a referendum is required for amendments affecting national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, government structures and authorities, taxation, and public funding;
• passage by referendum requires participation of at least 50% of eligible voters and approval by at least 75% of votes cast

note: in 2024, The Gambian government announced its commitment to adopting a new constitution

citizenship by birth:

yes

citizenship by descent only:

yes

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

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 2027

highest court(s):

Supreme Court of The Gambia (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices; court sessions held with 5 justices)

judge selection and term of office:

• justices appointed by the president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, a 6-member independent body of high-level judicial officials, a presidential appointee, and a National Assembly appointee;
• justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts:

• Court of Appeal;
• High Court;
• Special Criminal Court;
• Khadis or Muslim courts;
• district tribunals;
• magistrates courts;
• cadi courts

• Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC
• Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC
• Gambia Moral Congress or GMC
• National People's Party or NPP
• People's Progressive Party or PPP
• United Democratic Party or UDP

chief of mission:

Ambassador Momodou Lamin BAH (12 December 2022)

chancery:

5630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone:

[1] (202) 785-1399

FAX:

[1] (202) 785-1430

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eugene S. YOUNG (since 14 October 2025)

embassy:

Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul

mailing address:

2070 Banjul Place, Washington DC 20521-2070

telephone:

[220] 439-2856

FAX:

[220] 439-2475

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://gm.usembassy.gov/

description:

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

meaning:

red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue for the Gambia River, and green for forests and agriculture; the white stripes denote unity and peace

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"

total World Heritage Sites:

2 (both cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites; Stone Circles of Senegambia

• low-income West African economy;
• agriculture-dominant;
• high poverty rate;
• heightened inflation;
• dependent on foreign assistance and remittances;
• structural reforms conditioned by IMF Extended Credit Facility program

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

total:

10.9% (2024 est.)

male:

10.9% (2024 est.)

female:

10.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

2.6% (2020 est.)

highest 10%:

30.5% (2020 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

• 1 state-run TV-channel;
• one privately owned TV station;
• 1 online TV station;
• 3 state-owned and 31 privately owned radio stations;
• 8 community radio stations;
• transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available;
• cable and satellite TV subscription services in some parts of the country (2019)

total:

6,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Banjul

refugees:

4,411 (2024 est.)

IDPs:

7,462 (2024 est.)