THE GAMBIA
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 11,300 km2; land area: 10,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundary: 740 km with Senegal
Coastline: 80 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 18 nm;
Continental shelf: not specific;
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
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
Natural resources: fish
Land use: arable land 16%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
9%; forest and woodland 20%; other 55%; includes irrigated 3%
Environment: deforestation
Note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
continent of Africa
PEOPLE
Population: 874,553 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)
Birth rate: 48 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 138 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 51 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Gambian(s); adjective--Gambian
Ethnic divisions: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%,
Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%); non-Gambian 1%
Religion: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Language: English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
indigenous vernaculars
Literacy: 27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force: 400,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 75.0%, industry,
commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%; 55% population of
working age (1983)
Organized labor: 25-30% of wage labor force
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Republic of The Gambia
Type: republic
Capital: Banjul
Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower
River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western
Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal
signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982)
that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as
Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989
Constitution: 24 April 1970
Legal system: based on a composite of English common law,
Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Alhaji Sir Dawda
Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice President Bakary Bunja DARBO
(since 12 May 1982)
Political parties and leaders:
People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. JAWARA, secretary general;
National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff DIBBA;
Gambian People's Party (GPP), Assan Musa CAMARA;
United Party (UP);
People's Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
President--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992);
results--Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP) 61.1%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 25.2%,
Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 13.7%;
House of Representatives--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to
be held by March 1992);
results--PPP 56.6%, NCP 27.6%, GPP 14.7%, PDOIS 1%;
seats--(43 total, 36 elected) PPP 31, NCP 5
Communists: no Communist party
Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH; Chancery at
Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20005;
telephone (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359;
US--Ambassador Arlene RENDER; Embassy at Pipeline Road
(Kairaba Avenue), Fajara, Banjul (mailing address is P. M. B. No. 19,
Banjul); telephone Serrekunda 220 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white
edges, and green
ECONOMY
Overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural
resources and has a limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's
poorest countries with a per capita income of about $230. About 75%
of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising,
which contributes 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing
activity--processing peanuts, fish, and hides--accounts for less than
10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry. The Gambia imports
one-third of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports
are concentrated on peanut products (about 75% of total value).
GDP: $195 million, per capita $230; real growth rate 6.0% (FY90
est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.0% (FY91)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $79 million; expenditures $84 million,
including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90)
Exports: $116 million (f.o.b., FY90);
commodities--peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm
kernels;
partners--Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1% other 5% (1989)
Imports: $147 million (f.o.b., FY90);
commodities--foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel,
machinery and transport equipment;
partners--Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR/EE 9%, US 6%, other 3%
(1989)
External debt: $336 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 6.7%; accounts for 5.8%
of GDP (FY90)
Electricity: 29,000 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 80 kWh
per capita (1989)
Industries: peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural
machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the
population; imports one-third of food requirements; major export crop is
peanuts; the principal crops--millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava,
palm kernels; livestock--cattle, sheep, and goats; forestry and fishing
resources not fully exploited
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $93
million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-88), $492 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $39 million
Currency: dalasi (plural--dalasi); 1 dalasi (D) = 100 bututs
Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1--7.610 (January 1991),
7.883 (1990), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987),
6.9380 (1986), 3.8939 (1985)
Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 3,083 km total; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite,
and 2,151 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 400 km
Ports: Banjul
Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications: adequate network of radio relay and wire;
3,500 telephones; stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: Army, Navy, paramilitary Gendarmerie, National Police
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 188,393; 95,133 fit for
military service
Defense expenditures: $NA, 0.7% of GDP (1988)