1998 Edition

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

Climate

tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)

Coastline

80 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 53 m

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, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Geography-note

almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa

Irrigated land

150 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Land use

arable land: 18% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 28% other: 45% (1993 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years

Natural resources

fish

Terrain

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Age structure

0-14 years: 46% (male 296,108; female 295,136) 15-64 years: 52% (male 330,215; female 336,056) 65 years and over: 2% (male 18,194; female 16,149) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

43.3 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

12.93 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Infant mortality rate

77.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 53.91 years male: 51.59 years female: 56.29 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 38.6% male: 52.8% female: 24.9% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian

Net migration rate

3.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

1,291,858 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

3.42% (1998 est.)

Religions

Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.91 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western note: it has been reported but not verified that the name of the MacCarthy Island division has been changed to Central River

Constitution

24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in January 1997

Country name

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

Data code

GA

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: percent of vote-President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.5%, Ousinou DARBOE 35.8%

FAX

[1] (202) 785-1430 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald Wesley SCOTT embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391970, 391971

[220] 392475

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

Government type

republic under multiparty democratic rule

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

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Crispin GREY-JOHNSON chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399, 1379, 1425

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; 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]; note-in August 1996 the government banned the following from participation in the elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP [former President Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties-the National Convention Party or NCP [former vice president Sheriff DIBBA] and the Gambian People's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa CAMARA]

Legal system

based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45 elected, 4 appointed by the president) elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-APRC 33, UDP 7, NRP 2, PDOIS 1, independents 2

National capital

Banjul

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $88.6 million expenditures: $98.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97 est.)

Currency

1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut

Debt-external

$426 million (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: bilateral $36.1 million; multilateral $34.7 million (1994)

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 the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 made Senegalese goods more competitive and hurt the reexport trade. The Gambia has benefited from a rebound in tourism after its decline in response to the military's takeover in July 1994. Short-run economic progress remains highly dependent on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid and on responsible government economic management.

Electricity-capacity

29,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

74 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

73 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

dalasi (D) per US$1-10.513 (December 1997), 10.200 (1997), 9.789 (1996), 9.546 (1995), 9.576 (1994), 9.129 (1993)

Exports

total value: $160 million (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: peanuts and peanut products 70%, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels partners: Japan, Senegal, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland, UK, Indonesia

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$1.23 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 27% industry: 15% services: 58% (1993 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$1,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.1% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $140 million (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment partners: China, Cote d'Ivoire, Hong Kong, UK, Germany

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

2.2% (1997)

Labor force

total: NA by occupation: agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0

Radios

180,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

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)

Telephones

11,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (government owned)

Televisions

NA

Unemployment rate

NA%

Airports

1 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none

Railways

0 km

Waterways

400 km Ports and harbors: Banjul

Military branches

Army, Navy, National Police, National Guard

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$1.2 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

3.8% (FY93/94)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 286,847 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 144,547 (1998 est.)

Current issues

The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Permanent status negotiations began on 5 May 1996, but have not resumed since the initial meeting. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes a Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement and the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external security and for internal security and public order of settlements and Israelis. Permanent status is to be determined through direct negotiations.

Disputes-international

short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite Introduction