Gambia

From World travel guide

The Gambia is a country in West Africa and is the smallest country on the continent of Africa. It has a North Atlantic Ocean coastline in the west and is surrounded by Senegal so that it is almost an enclave. The country occupies the the Gambia river valley and surrounding hills.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 Climate 4.2 Terrain 4.3 History 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By car 5.3 By bus 5.4 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Respect 17 Contact 18 External links 19 Geography 20 People 21 Government 22 Economy 23 Communications 24 Transportation 25 Military 26 Transnational Issues

Regions

Administrative divisions 

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

Cities

• Banjul - Capital

Other destinations

Understand

Climate

Tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May); Natural hazards : drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Terrain

Flood plain of the Gambia river flanked by some low hills

Highest point 

unnamed location 53 m

History

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965.

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

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 new 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.

Get in

Gambia is becoming a popular vacation destination for Northern Europeans. Therefore, many charter and holiday operators offer reasonable airfare and accommodation if desired.

By plane

By car

By bus

By boat

Get around

Talk

Languages 

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

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Malawi Guest House (393012/ 392227 Fax). 18 rooms
• Wendels Guest House [1]. (771 771) 7 rooms. US$ 95.00 including breakfast.

Learn

Work

Stay safe

Stay healthy

Respect

Contact

External links

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Geography

Geographic coordinates 

13 28 N, 16 34 W

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

Coastline 

80 km

Maritime claims 

contiguous zone: 18 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

Natural resources 

fish

Land use 

arable land: 19.5%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 80% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

20 sq km (1998 est.)

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

People

Population 

1,455,842 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 45.1% (male 329,530; female 326,627)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 377,357; female 383,548)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 20,237; female 18,543) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

3.09% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

41.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

12.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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: 1.09 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

76.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 53.98 years
female: 56.01 years (2002 est.)
male: 52.02 years

Total fertility rate 

5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

1.95% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

13,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

1,400 (1999 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%

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 47.5%
male: 58.4%
female: 37.1% (2001 est.)

Government

Country name 

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

Government type 

republic under multiparty democratic rule

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 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 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

International organization participation 

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

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Essa Bokar SEY
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399

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

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 Banjul. 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. Record crops undergirded sturdy growth in 2001.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $1,770 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 21%
industry: 12%
services: 67% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

4% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

400,000 400,000

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate 

NA%

Budget 

revenues: $90.5 million
expenditures: $80.9 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2001 est.)

Industries 

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

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

75 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

69.75 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats; forest and fishery resources not fully exploited

Exports 

$139.2 million f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities 

peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels

Exports - partners 

Benelux 26%, Japan 15%, UK 14%, Brazil 7% (2000)

Imports 

$200.3 million f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities 

foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners 

China (including Hong Kong) 18%, UK 10%, Netherlands 8%, France 6%, Brazil 6% (2000)

Debt - external 

$440 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$45.4 million (1995) (1995)

Currency 

dalasi (GMD)

Currency code 

GMD

Exchange rates 

dalasi per US dollar - 15.000 (January 2001), 12.788 (2000), 11.395 (1999), 10.643 (1998), 10.200 (1997)

Fiscal year 

calendar year

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

31,900 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

5,624 (2000)

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)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios 

196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions 

5,000 (2000)

Internet country code 

.gm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

2 (2001)

Internet users 

5,000 (2001)

Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

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

Waterways 

400 km

Ports and harbors 

Banjul

Merchant marine 

none (2002 est.)

Airports 

1 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Military

Military branches 

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

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 327,677 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 165,249 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$1.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

0.3% (FY01)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none

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