1989 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1989 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
Coastline
80 km
Comparative area
slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Contiguous zone
18 nm
Continental shelf
not specific
Disputes
short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
Environment
deforestation
Exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Land boundary
740 km with Senegal
Land use
1 6% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; 20% forest and woodland; 55% other; includes 3% irrigated
Natural resources
fish
Note
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa
Terrain
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
1 1,300 km2; land area: 10,000 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
48 births/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Death rate
18 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
99% African (42% Mandinka, 18% Fula, 16% Wolof, 10% Jola, 9% Serahuli, 4% other); 1% non-Gambian
Infant mortality rate
140 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
400,000 (1986 est.); 75.0% agriculture, 18.9% industry, commerce, and services, 6.1% government; 55% population of working age (1983)
Language
English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Life expectancy at birth
46 years male, 50 years female (1990)
Literacy
25.1%
Nationality
noun — Gambian(s); adjective— Gambian
Net migration rate
0 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
25-30% of wage labor force
Population
848,147 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)
Religion
90% Muslim, 9% Christian, 1% indigenous beliefs
Total fertility rate
6.5 children born/ woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western
Capital
Banjul
Communists
no Communist party
Constitution
24 April 1 970
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 (vacant); 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
Elections
President — last held on 1 1 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 1 1 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
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
Flag
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green
Independence
18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 1 2 December 1 98 1 (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
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)
Legal system
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Representatives
Long-form name
Republic of The Gambia
Member of
ACP, AfDB, APC, Commonwealth, EGA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB— InterAmerican Development Bank, I FAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, IRC, ITU, NAM, OAU, QIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
National holiday
Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Suffrage
universal at age 21
Type
republic
Economy
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
Aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $84 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral com-
Budget
revenues $75 million; expenditures $67 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY89)
Electricity
29,000 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1989)
Exports
$133 million (f.o.b., FY89); commodities— peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels; partners — Ghana 49%, Europe 27%, Japan 12%, US 1% (1986)
External debt
$330 million (December 1989 est.)
GDP
$195 million, per capita $250; real growth rate 4.6% (FY89 est.)
Imports
$105 million (c.i.f., FY89); commodities— foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment; partners — Europe 55% (EC 39%, other 16%), Asia 20%, US 11%, Senegal 4% (1986)
Industrial production
growth rate 7.3% (FY88)
Industries
peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.0% (FY89 est.)
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 $250. About 75% of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which contributes about 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 about 33% of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports are concentrated on peanut products (over 75% of total value).
Unemployment rate
NA%