Introduction

Gambia, The

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.

Geography

Gambia, The

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:	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm continental shelf: extent not specified
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, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum
Land use:	arable land: 27.88% permanent crops: 0.44% other: 71.68% (2005)
Irrigated land:	20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:	8 cu km (1982)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):	total: 0.03 cu km/yr (23%/12%/65%) per capita: 20 cu m/yr (2000)
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, 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

Gambia, The

Population:	1,688,359 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 44.1% (male 373,831/female 370,397) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 445,365/female 452,311) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 23,582/female 22,873) (2007 est.)
Median age:	total: 17.8 years male: 17.6 years female: 17.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:	2.781% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:	38.86 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:	11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:	0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.031 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 70.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 54.54 years male: 52.68 years female: 56.46 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:	5.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	1.2% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	6,800 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:	degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)
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: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government

Gambia, The

Country name:	conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia
Government type:	republic
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
Independence:	18 February 1965 (from UK)
National holiday:	Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Constitution:	approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997
Legal system:	based on a composite of English common law, Islamic 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); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa SALLAH 6.0%
Legislative branch:	unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1
Judicial branch:	Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:	Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC (the ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; 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 [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:	NA
International organization participation:	ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Abdul Rahman COLE (since 24 December 2007) chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation from the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Barry L. WELLS 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

Economy

Gambia, The

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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):	$1.338 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$379 million (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	7% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):	$800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:	agriculture: 32.8% industry: 8.7% services: 58.5% (2007 est.)
Labor force:	400,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:	agriculture: 75% industry: 19% services: 6% (1996)
Unemployment rate:	NA%
Population below poverty line:	NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 37% (1998)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:	50.2 (1998)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	3.5% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):	27.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $160.4 million expenditures: $165.7 million (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:	rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:	processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:	-2.3% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:	145 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:	134.9 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:	0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:	0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:	2,030 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:	41.5 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:	2,050 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:	0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:	0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:	0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:	0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:	$-31.69 million (2007 est.)
Exports:	$147.7 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:	peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports
Exports - partners:	India 38.6%, UK 15.9%, Indonesia 7.9%, France 7%, Italy 4.6% (2006)
Imports:	$276 million f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:	foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Imports - partners:	China 25.2%, Senegal 11.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.1%, Brazil 6.6%, Netherlands 4.5%, UK 4% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:	$58.15 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:	$119.9 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:	$628.8 million (2003 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:	$NA
Currency (code):	dalasi (GMD)
Currency code:	GMD
Exchange rates:	dalasi per US dollar - 27.79 (2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004), 27.306 (2003)
Fiscal year:	calendar year

Communications

Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:	52,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	404,300 (2006)
Telephone system:	general assessment: 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 (2001)
Radios:	196,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:	1 (government-owned) (1997)
Televisions:	5,000 (2000)
Internet country code:	.gm
Internet hosts:	6 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	2 (2001)
Internet users:	58,000 (2005)

Transportation

Gambia, The

Airports:	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:	total: 3,742 km paved: 723 km unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)
Waterways:	390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2006)
Merchant marine:	total: 5 ships (1000 GRT or over) 32,064 GRT/9,751 DWT by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals:	Banjul

Military

Gambia, The

Military branches:	Gambian National Army (National Guard, GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:	18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service:	males age 18-49: 311,025 females age 18-49: 316,214 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 18-49: 183,057 females age 18-49: 194,551 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:	0.5% (2006)

Transnational Issues

Gambia, The

Disputes - 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:	refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2006)

History of the Gambia

The Gambia was once part of the Ghana and the Songhai Empires. The first written accounts of the religion come from records of Arab traders in the 9th and 10th centuries AD. Arab traders established the trans-Saharan trade route for slaves, gold, and ivory. In the 15th century, the Portuguese took over this trade using maritime routes. At that time, The Gambia was part of the Mali Empire.

In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, Antonio, Prior of Crato, sold exclusive trade rights on The Gambia River to English merchants; this grant was confirmed by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I. In 1618, King James I granted a charter to a British company for trade with The Gambia and the Gold Coast (now Ghana). Between 1651 and 1661 part of Gambia was (indirectly) a colony of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth; it was purchased by the Courlandish prince Jakub Kettler. At that time Courland, in modern-day Latvia, was a fiefdom of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Courlanders settled on James Island. They called it St. Andrews Island and used it as a trade base from 1651 until it was captured by the English in 1661.

During the late 17th century and throughout the 18th, England and France struggled continuously for political and commercial supremacy in the regions of the Senegal and Gambia Rivers. The 1783 Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of The Gambia, but the French retained a tiny enclave at Albreda on the north bank of the river which was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1857.

As many as 3 million slaves may have been taken from the region during the three centuries that the transatlantic slave trade operated. It is not known how many slaves were taken by Arab traders prior to and simultaneous with the transatlantic slave trade. Most of those taken were sold to Europeans by other Africans; some were prisoners of intertribal wars; some were sold because of unpaid debts, while others were kidnapped. Slaves were initially sent to Europe to work as servants until the market for labor expanded in the West Indies and North America in the 18th century. In 1807, slave trading was abolished throughout the British Empire, and the British tried unsuccessfully to end the slave traffic in The Gambia. They established the military post of Bathurst (now Banjul) in 1816. In the ensuing years, Banjul was at times under the jurisdiction of the British governor general in Sierra Leone. In 1888, The Gambia became a separate colonial entity.

An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries, and The Gambia became a British Crown Colony, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward self-government. A 1906 ordinance abolished slavery.

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. Banjul served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the first visit to the African Continent by an American president while in office.

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform quickened. Following general elections in 1962, full internal self-government was granted in 1963. The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth. Shortly thereafter, the government proposed changing from a monarchy to a republic with an elected president replacing the British monarch as head of state. The proposal failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to The Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, and civil rights and liberties. On April 24, 1970, The Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth, following a second referendum, with Prime Minister Dawda (later Sir Dawda) Kairaba Jawara, as executive President.

Until a military coup in July 1994, The Gambia was led by President Jawara who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the Jawara era was broken first by a violent coup attempt in 1981. The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, who, on two occasions, had unsuccessfully sought election to parliament. After a week of violence which left several hundred dead, Jawara, in London when the attack began, appealed to Senegal for help. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force.

In the aftermath of the attempted coup, Senegal and The Gambia signed the 1982 Treaty of Confederation. The result, the Senegambia Confederation, aimed eventually to combine the armed forces of the two nations and to unify economies and currencies. The Gambia withdrew from the confederation in 1989.

In July 1994, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) seized power in a military coup d'etat. The AFPRC deposed the democratically elected government of Sir Dawda Jawara and banned political activity. Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state.

The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The transition process included the compilation of a new electoral register, adoption of a new constitution by referendum in August 1996, and presidential and legislative elections in September 1996 and January 1997, respectively. Retired Col. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh was sworn into office as President of the Republic of The Gambia on November 6, 1996. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on April 17, 1997. The IEC is responsible for registration of voters and conduct of elections and referenda.

The Gambia recently emerged from its isolation to accept a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council during 1998-99.

The IEC conducted a presidential election on October 18, 2001, during which President Jammeh was re-elected for a second 5-year term (2001-06). National Assembly and local government elections are scheduled for January and April 2002, respectively.

Last update on 7 March 2008