The Gambia
Republic of The Gambia
republicIndependence 18 February 1965 (from the UK)
The Gambia as the 2012 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 152 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 2011.
Geography
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
20 fieldsLand useshare of 11,295 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.03 cu km/yr (23%/12%/65%)
- per capita:
- 20 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment - international 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
People and Society
30 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2012 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 0.96 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.9 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria
- water contact disease:
- schistosomiasis
- respiratory disease:
- meningococcal meningitis
- animal contact disease:
- rabies (2009)
Government
Republic; President Yahya JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); President Yahya JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly, 48 seats, elected 29 March 2012one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
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
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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 theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 24 November 2011 (next to be held in 2016)
- election results:
- Yahya JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya JAMMEH 71.5%, Ousainou DARBOE 17.4%, Hamat BAH 11.1%
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 29 March 2012 (next to be held in 2017)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - APRC 51.8%, independents 38.8%, NRP 9.4%; seats by party - APRC 43, independents 4, NRP 1
note: except for the NRP, all opposition parties boycotted the 29 March 2012 legislative elections
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 (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), 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 Edward M. ALFORD
- 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
Flag description
- three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green;
- red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue represents the Gambia River, and green symbolizes forests and agriculture;
- the white stripes denote unity and peace
National anthem
- name:
- "For The Gambia, Our Homeland"
- lyrics/music:
- Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE
note: adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song "Foday Kaba Dumbuya"
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.
36 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Economy - overview
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 and the sector provides for about one-quarter of GDP. The agricultural sector has untapped potential - less than half of arable land is cultivated.
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 2012, however, sluggish tourism led to a decline in GDP. Tourism brings in about one-fifth of GDP. Agriculture also took a hit in 2012 due to unfavorable weather patterns. The Gambia's re-export trade accounts for almost 80% of goods exports. 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. International donors and lenders continue to be concerned about the quality of fiscal management and The Gambia's debt burden.
Central bank discount rate
9% (31 December 2009) · 11% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 21
Commercial bank prime lending rate
26.5% (31 December 2012 est.) · 28% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 6
Stock of narrow money
$224.3 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $220.5 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Stock of broad money
$512.2 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $487.9 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
Stock of domestic credit
$400 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $380.3 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 177
Agriculture - products
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (manioc), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats
Current account balance
-$155.5 million (2012 est.) · -$119.1 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$225.3 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $223.2 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Debt - external
$545.8 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $530.8 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Exchange rates
dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 31.5 (2012 est.) · 29.4615 (2011 est.) · 28.012 (2010 est.) · 26.6444 (2009) · 22.75 (2008)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 53,000 kW(2009 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
291,000 Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone 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, is roughly 80 per 100 persons
- 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) (2011)
Broadcast media
- state-owned, single-channel TV service;
- state-owned radio station and 4 privately-owned radio stations;
- transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available, some via shortwave radio;
- cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable in some parts of the country (2007)
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2010)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Waterways
390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2010) country comparison to the world: 89
Military
Office of the Chief of Defense Staff: Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Republican National Guard (RNG) (2010)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Office of the Chief of Defense Staff: Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Republican National Guard (RNG) (2010)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African states
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Gambia, The.” The World Factbook 2012. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/gambia/2012.