The Gambia

republicIndependence 18 February 1965 (from UK)

The Gambia as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 71 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBanjul
Area11,300 km2
1990

Every edition of The Gambia

Populationas each edition published it
848,147 people July 1990 · 2.52m in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 3.07% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 17.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 49.61 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.5 children per woman 1990 · 3.39 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
140 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 35 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $325 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3% in 1993

Geography

15 fields

Land useshare of 11,300 km2

arable land 16%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 9%forest and woodland 20%other 55%includes 3% irrigated
Total area
11,300km2
land area: 10,000 km2Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Coastline
80km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundary
740km with Senegal

Continental shelf

not specific;

Disputes

short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

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

Environment

deforestation

Note

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

People

14 fields
Population
848,147
(July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
48Death
18Net migration
0

Religion

Muslim 90%Christian 9%indigenous beliefs 1%
Labor force
400,000
(1986 est.); 75.0% agriculture, 18.9% industry, commerce, and services, 6.1% government; 55% population of working age (1983)

Infant mortality rate

140 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

46 years male, 50 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

6.5 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--Gambian(s); adjective--Gambian

Ethnic divisions

99% African (42% Mandinka, 18% Fula, 16% Wolof, 10% Jola, 9% Serahuli, 4% other); 1% non-Gambian

Language

English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Organized labor

25-30% of wage labor force

Government

Republic

17 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

61.1%
Sir Dawda Jawara (PPP) 61.1%Sherif Mustapha Dibba (NCP) 25.2%Assan Musa Camara (GPP) 13.7%11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992)

House of Representatives, 36 seats, elected 11 March 1987one dot, one seat

(43 total, 36 elected) PPP 31NCP 5

Percent of vote

PPP 56.6%NCP 27.6%GPP 14.7%PDOIS 1%

Long-form name

Republic of The Gambia

Type

republic

Capital

Banjul

Administrative divisions

5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence

18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989

Constitution

24 April 1970

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Executive branch

president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970);
  • Vice President Bakary Bunja DARBO (since 12 May 1982)

Political parties and leaders

  • People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. Jawara, secretary general;
  • National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff Dibba;
  • Gambian People's Party (GPP), Assan Musa Camara;
  • United Party (UP);
  • People's Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)

Suffrage

  • universal at age 21 President--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992);
  • results--Sir Dawda Jawara (PPP) 61.1%, Sherif Mustapha Dibba (NCP) 25.2%, Assan Musa Camara (GPP) 13.7%;
  • House of Representatives--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held by March 1992);
  • results--PPP 56.6%, NCP 27.6%, GPP 14.7%, PDOIS 1%;
  • seats--(43 total, 36 elected) PPP 31, NCP 5

Communists

no Communist party

Member of

ACP, AfDB, APC, Commonwealth, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, IRC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

  • Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH;
  • Chancery at Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20005;
  • telephone (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359;
  • US--Ambassador (vacant);
  • Embassy at Pipeline Road (Kairaba Avenue), Fajara, Banjul (mailing address is P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul);
  • telephone Serrekunda [220] 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971

Flag

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

Economy

The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$195million
per capita $250; real growth rate 4.6% (FY89 est.)
External debt
$330million
(December 1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$75 millionExpenditures
$67 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY89)

Overview

The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income of about $250. About 75% of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which contributes about 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing activity--processing peanuts, fish, and hides--accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry.

The Gambia imports about 33% of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports are concentrated on peanut products (over 75% of total value).

Exports

  • $133 million (f.o.b., FY89);
  • commodities--peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels;
  • partners--Ghana 49%, Europe 27%, Japan 12%, US 1% (1986)

Imports

  • $105 million (c.i.f., FY89);
  • commodities--foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment;
  • partners--Europe 55% (EC 39%, other 16%), Asia 20%, US 11%, Senegal 4% (1986)

Industrial production

growth rate 7.3% (FY88)

Electricity

29,000 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Agriculture

  • accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the population;
  • imports one-third of food requirements;
  • major export crop is peanuts;
  • the principal crops--millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm kernels;
  • livestock--cattle, sheep, and goats;
  • forestry and fishing resources not fully exploited

Aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $84 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $422 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-88), $39 million

Currency

dalasi (plural--dalasi); 1 dalasi (D) = 100 bututs

Exchange rates

dalasi (D) per US$1--8.3232 (December 1989), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987), 6.9380 (1986), 3.8939 (1985)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

Communications

6 fields

Networkskm

Highways
3,083Inland waterways
400
Highways: ; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite, and 2,151 km unimproved earth

Highways

3,083 km total; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite, and 2,151 km unimproved earth

Ports

Banjul

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

Airports

1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m

Telecommunications

  • adequate network of radio relay and wire;
  • 3,500 telephones;
  • stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV;
  • 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Army, paramilitary Gendarmerie

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49
182,308fit for military service
92,001

Branches

Army, paramilitary Gendarmerie

Central Intelligence Agency. “The Gambia.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gambia/1990.

How to cite 1991 edition →