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The Gambia |
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

### The Gambia

Geography

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,000 sq km
water: 1,300 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:
total: 740 km
border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use:
arable land: 18%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 9%
forests and woodland: 28%
other: 45% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 150 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography—note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

People

Population: 1,291,858 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 296,108; female 295,136)
15-64 years: 52% (male 330,215; female 336,056)
65 years and over: 2% (male 18,194; female 16,149) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.42% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 43.3 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 12.93 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 77.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.91 years
male: 51.59 years
female: 56.29 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.91 children born/woman (1998 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%

Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38.6%
male: 52.8%
female: 24.9% (1995 est.)

Government

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

Data code: GA

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

National capital: Banjul

Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western
note: it has been reported but not verified that the name of the MacCarthy Island division has been changed to Central River

Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); note—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; 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 12 October 1996); Vice President Isaton 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); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 26 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote—President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.5%, Ousinou DARBOE 35.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45 elected, 4 appointed by the president)
elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be held NA)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—APRC 33, UDP 7, NRP 2, PDOIS 1, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH; National Reconciliation Party or NRP Hamat N. K. BAH; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS Sidia JATTA; United Democratic Party or UDP Ousainou DARBOE; note—in August 1996 the government banned the following from participation in the elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP former President Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile), and two opposition parties—the National Convention Party or NCP former vice president Sheriff DIBBA and the Gambian People's Party or GPP Hassan Musa CAMARA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Crispin GREY-JOHNSON
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: 1 (202) 785-1399, 1379, 1425
FAX: 1 (202) 785-1430

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald Wesley SCOTT
embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone: 220 392856, 392858, 391970, 391971
FAX: 220 392475

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

Economy

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 the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 made Senegalese goods more competitive and hurt the reexport trade. The Gambia has benefited from a rebound in tourism after its decline in response to the military's takeover in July 1994. Short-run economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid and on responsible government economic management.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$1.23 billion (1997 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 2.1% (1997 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$1,000 (1997 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 27%
industry: 15%
services: 58% (1993 est.)

Inflation rate—consumer price index: 2.2% (1997)

Labor force:
total: NA
by occupation: agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $88.6 million
expenditures: $98.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity—capacity: 29,000 kW (1995)

Electricity—production: 73 million kWh (1995)

Electricity—consumption per capita: 74 kWh (1995)

Agriculture—products: peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats; forest and fishing resources not fully exploited

Exports:
total value: $160 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities: peanuts and peanut products 70%, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
partners: Japan, Senegal, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland, UK, Indonesia

Imports:
total value: $140 million (c.i.f., 1995)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
partners: China, Cote d'Ivoire, Hong Kong, UK, Germany

Debt—external: $426 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: bilateral $36.1 million; multilateral $34.7 million (1994)

Currency: 1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut

Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1—10.513 (December 1997), 10.200 (1997), 9.789 (1996), 9.546 (1995), 9.576 (1994), 9.129 (1993)

Fiscal year: 1 July—30 June

Communications

Telephones: 11,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system:
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)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios: 180,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (government owned)

Televisions: NA

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 2,700 km
paved: 956 km
unpaved: 1,744 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 400 km

Ports and harbors: Banjul

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, National Police, National Guard

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 286,847 (1998 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males: 144,547 (1998 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $1.2 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 3.8% (FY93/94)

Transnational Issues

Disputes—international: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

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