The Gambia

Republic of The Gambia

republic under multiparty democratic ruleIndependence 18 February 1965 (from UK

The Gambia as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
1995

Every edition of The Gambia

Populationas each edition published it
989,273 people July 1995 est. · 848,147 in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.08% 1995 est. · 3.07% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 17.4 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
50.55 years 1995 est. · 49.61 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.23 children per woman 1995 est. · 6.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
120.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 140 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,050 1993 est. · $325 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and | Senegal

14 fields

Land useshare of 11,300 sq km

arable land 16%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 9%forest and woodland 20%other 55%irrigated 120 sq km (1989 est.)
Area
11,300sq km
land area: 10,000 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Coastline
80km
contiguous zone: 18 nmcontinental shelf: not specifiedexclusive fishing zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
740km
total · Senegal 740 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

International 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

current issues:
  • deforestation;
  • desertification;
  • water-borne diseases prevalent
natural hazards:
rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last thirty years
international agreements:
  • party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution;
  • signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Note

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

People

15 fields
Population
989,273
(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 3.08% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth
45.97Death
15.19Net migration
0

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years50.55
48.25 · 52.92
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy27%
39% · 16%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Religions

Muslim 90%Christian 9%indigenous beliefs 1%
Labor force
400,000
(1986 est.)by occupation: agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%

Age structure

0-14 years:
47% (female 231,636; male 231,053)
15-64 years:
51% (female 257,329; male 244,947)
65 years and over:
2% (female 11,850; male 12,458) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

120.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.23 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Gambian(s)
adjective:
Gambian

Ethnic divisions

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

Languages

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

Government

Republic under multiparty democratic rule

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

58.5%
Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP) 58.5%Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 22.2%Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) (prior to the 22 July 1994 coup, next election was scheduled for April 1997) 8.0%

Legislature, 36 seatsone dot, one seat

(43 total, 36 elected) PPP 30NCP 6

Names

conventional long form:
Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form:
The Gambia

Type

republic under multiparty democratic rule

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 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution

24 April 1970

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:
Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council Capt. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since the military coup of 22 July 1994); Vice Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council Capt. Edward SINGHATEH (since March 1995); election last held on 29 April 1992; results - Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP) 58.5%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 22.2%, Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 8.0% (prior to the 22 July 1994 coup, next election was scheduled for April 1997)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president from members of the House of Representatives (present cabinet appointed by Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council)

House of Representatives

  • elections last held on 29 April 1992 (next to be held April 1997);
  • results - PPP 58.1%;
  • seats - (43 total, 36 elected) PPP 30, NCP 6

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

  • People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile), secretary general;
  • National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff DIBBA (in exile);
  • Gambian People's Party (GPP), Hassan Musa CAMARA;
  • United Party (UP), leader NA;
  • People's Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), leader NA;
  • People's Democratic Party (PDP), Jabel SALLAH

Member of

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aminatta DIBBA
chancery:
Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:
[1] (202) 785-1399, 1379, 1425

FAX

[1] (202) 785-1430

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Andrew J. WINTER
embassy:
Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address:
P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone:
[220] 392856, 392858, 391970, 391971

FAX

[220] 392475

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.

18 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,050
(1993 est.)
External debt
$286million
(FY92/93 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$94 millionExpenditures
$89 million
expenditures including capital expenditures of $24 million (FY92/93 est.)

Installed generating capacity, 30,000 kW

Electricity production
70 millionElectricity consumption per capita
64 (1993)

Overview

The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which contribute 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing activity - processing peanuts, fish, and hides - accounts for less than 10% of GDP. A sustained structural adjustment program, including a liberalized trade policy, had fostered a respectable 4% rate of growth in recent years.

Reexport trade constitutes one-third of economic activity; however, border closures associated with Senegal's monetary crisis in late 1993 led to a halving of reexport trade, reducing government revenues in turn. The 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 has made Senegalese goods more competitive and apparently prompted a relaxation of Senegalese controls, paving the way for a comeback in reexports.

But overwhelming these developments were the devastating effects of the military's takeover in July 1994. By October, traffic at the Port of Banjul had fallen precipitously as importers nervously scaled back their activities with the commencement of the anticorruption drive by the new regime.

Concerned with the growing potential for serious unrest after a countercoup attempt was bloodily put down by the regime, the United Kingdom and the EU in November issued a travelers advisory for The Gambia, which brought a halt to tourism almost immediately. The Gambia faces additional problems in 1995 if, as is likely, economic sanctions by Western governments remain in effect in response to indications that the military regime intends to stay in power far longer than expected by the donors.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1993 est.)

Exports

$81 million (f.o.b., FY92/93 est.)

commodities:
peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
partners:
Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1%, other 5% (1989)

Imports

$154 million (f.o.b., FY92/93 est.)

commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
partners:
Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR and Eastern Europe 9%, US 6%, other 3% (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

recipient:
  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $93 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $535 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-89), $39 million

Currency

1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut

Exchange rates

dalasi (D) per US$1 - 9.565 (January 1995), 9.576 (1994), 9.129 (1993), 8.888 (1992), 8.803 (1991), 7.883 (1990)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 1 in all

1
over 3,047 m
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
3,083Railroads
0Inland waterways
400
Highways: paved: 431 km · unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 501 km; unimproved earth 2,151 km

Highways

total:
3,083 km
paved:
431 km
unpaved:
gravel, crushed stone 501 km; unimproved earth 2,151 km

Ports

Banjul

Merchant marine

total: 1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,194 GRT/19,394 DWT

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

3,500 telephones; telephone density - 4 telephones/1,000 persons

local:
NA
intercity:
adequate network of radio relay and wire
international:
1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Radio

broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0
radios:
NA

Television

broadcast stations:
NA
televisions:
NA

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, National Police

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, National Police

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 214,680; males fit for military service 108,659 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $14 million, 3.8% of GDP (FY93/94) GAZA STRIP Note--The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, final status negotiations are to begin no later than the beginning of the third year of the transitional period.

Central Intelligence Agency. “The Gambia.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gambia/1995.

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