Background: 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
A. J. J. 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 2006.
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North
Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W
Area:
total: 11,300 sq km
land : 10,000 sq km
water: 1,300 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 740 km
border countries: Senegal 740 km
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest
country on the continent of Africa
Birth rate: 42.28 births/1,000 population (2000
est.); 41.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.); 38.36 births/1,000
population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2000
est.); 12.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.); 11.74 deaths/1,000
population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2000 est.); 2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.); 0.61 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 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: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality
rate: 79.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.); 76.39 deaths/1,000
live births (2002 est.); 68.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy
at birth:
total population: 54.95 years
male: 53.06 years
female: 56.9 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: 5.13 children born/woman
(2008 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form : The Gambia
Government type: republic under multiparty democratic
rule
National capital: Banjul
Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1
city*; Banjul*, Lower River, Central River, North Bank, Upper River,
Western
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: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH elected president; percent
of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.8%, Ousainou DARBOE 35.8%
Legislative
branch: unicameral National Assembly (49 seats; 45 elected
by popular vote, 4 appointed by the president; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be
held 2002)
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];
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
Economy - overview: The Gambia has no confirmed
mineral or natural resource deposits 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 Gambia's
natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger
markets for tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998 seizure of
the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of
Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing
key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate
that the government intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment
and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic
progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible
government economic management, on continued technical assistance from
the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction
sector.
Exports:
total value : $132 million (f.o.b., 1998); $139.2 million (f.o.b.,
2001); $147.7 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
commodities: peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm
kernels
partners: India 38.6%, UK 15.9%, Indonesia 7.9%, France 7%, Italy
4.6% (2006)
Imports:
total value: $201 million (c.i.f., 1998 est.); $200.3 million (f.o.b.,
2001); $276 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery
and transport equipment
partners: China 25.2%, Senegal 11.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.1%, Brazil
6.6%, Netherlands 4.5%, UK 4% (2006)
Debt
- external: $628.8 million (2003 est.)
Economic
aid - recipient: $58.15 million (2005)
Currency: 1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut
Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar - 27.79
(2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004), 27.306 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 4,485 (1998);
5,624 (2000); 404,300 (2006)
Telephone
system: adequate; a packet switched data network is available;
two mobile-cellular service providers
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire;
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity approaching 30
telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) (1997)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave
0 (1998), AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Radios: 196,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-owned)
(1997)
Televisions: 4,000 (1997)
Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (1999), 2 (2001)