The Gambia

Republic of The Gambia

republic under multiparty democratic ruleIndependence 18 February 1965 (from UK)

The Gambia as the 2003 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 113 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

Position13 28 N, 16 34 W

Area11,300 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Populationas each edition published it

1.5 million July 2003 est. · 848,147 in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.03% 2003 est. · 3.07% in 1993

Median ageyears

17.4 years 2002 · 20.5 yrs in 2025

Life expectancyyears at birth

54.38 years 2003 est. · 49.61 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

5.53 children per woman 2003 est. · 6.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

74.93 deaths per 1,000 live births 2003 est. · 140 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,800 2002 est. · $325 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.7% 2001 est. · 3% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early 2002.

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

18 fields

Land useshare of 11,300 sq km

arable land 19.5%permanent crops 0.5%other 80% (1998 est.)irrigated 20 sq km (1998 est.)

Area

11,300sq km

land: 10,000 sq kmwater: 1,300 sq kmslightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Coastline

80km

contiguous zone: 18 NMterritorial sea: 12 NMcontinental shelf: not specifiedexclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Highest point

53m

unnamed locationlowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

740km

border countries: Senegal 740 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references

Africa

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

Natural resources

fish

Natural hazards

drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues

deforestation;
desertification;
water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

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

People

19 fields

Population

1,501,050

(July 2003 est.)growth rate: 3.03% (2003 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2003 est.)

Birth

40.77Death

12.35Net migration

1.89

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2003 est.)54.38

52.39 · 56.44Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)74.93

81.67 · 68

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2003 est.)40.1%

47.8% · 32.8%Median age years (2002)17.4

17.3 · 17.6

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Religions

Muslim 90%Christian 9%indigenous beliefs 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.6%

(2001 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 44.9% (male 338,497; female 335,503)
15-64 years:: 52.4% (male 390,150; female 396,763)
65 years and over:: 2.7% (male 20,836; female 19,301) (2003 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:: 1.08 male(s)/female
total population:: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.53 children born/woman (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,400 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

400 (2001 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%

Languages

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

Government

Republic under multiparty democratic rule; President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

52.9%

Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2006)

National Assembly, 48 seats, elected 17 January 2002one dot, one seat

APRC 45PDOIS 2NRP 1,

Country name

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

Government type

republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital

Banjul

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution

24 April 1970;
suspended July 1994;
rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996;
reestablished in January 1997

Legal system

based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Yahya A. J. J. 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 A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he 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
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
the number of terms is not restricted;
election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2006)
election results:: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January 2007)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH];
Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE];
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 [Sidia JATTA]

note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Lena Manga Sagnia SECK
chancery:: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
FAX:: [1] (202) 785-1430
telephone:: [1] (202) 785-1379

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD
embassy:: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
mailing address:: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone:: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
FAX:: [220] 392475

Flag description

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.

36 fields

Real growth rate

5.7%

(2001 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

5.5%

(2002 est.)

Labor force

400,000

Debt - external

$476million

(2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1999 est.)

agriculture 33%industry 13%services 54% (1999 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

21.9%

France

China

21.8%

19.1%

6.5%

11.8%

Malaysia

11.1%

Italy

Senegal

8.9%

Brazil

7.8%

7.3%

Germany

6.3%

Belgium

4.5%

Netherlands

5.4%

India

4.9%

4.2%

South Africa

Hong Kong

4.1%

Exports $138 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)Imports $225 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)(2002)

Budget

Revenues

$90.5 millionExpenditures

$80.9 million (2001 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $4.1 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · other 0% · nuclear 0%

Electricity production

85.33 million (2001)Electricity consumption

79.36 million (2001)

Economy - overview

The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia.

The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the following two marketing seasons have seen substantially lower prices and sales. A decline in tourism in 2000 has also held back growth. Unemployment and underemployment rates are extremely high.

Shortrun economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management as forwarded by IMF technical help and advice, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

processing peanuts, fish, and hides;
tourism;
beverages;
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking;
clothing

Communications

8 fields

Mobile cellular

5,624

(2000)

Internet users

(2001)

Fixed lines

31,900

(2000) · country code .gm

Telephone system

general assessment:: adequate; a packet switched data network is available
domestic:: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
international:: microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m

Networkskm

Highways

2,700Railways

0Waterways

400

Highways: paved: 956 km · unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Highways

total:: 2,700 km
paved:: 956 km
unpaved:: 1,744 km (1999)

Military

Gambian National Army (GNA) (includes marine unit), National Police, Presidential Guard

5 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

0.3%

(FY02)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

none

Central Intelligence Agency. “Gambia, The.” The World Factbook 2003. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gambia/2003.

How to cite ← 2002 edition 2004 edition →