2020 Edition

Background

In the 10th century, Muslim merchants established some of The Gambia’s earliest large settlements as trans-Saharan trade hubs. These settlements eventually grew into major export centers sending slaves, gold, and ivory across the Sahara. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, European colonial powers began establishing trade with The Gambia. In 1664, the United Kingdom established a colony in The Gambia focused on exporting enslaved people across the Atlantic. During the roughly 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the UK and other European powers may have exported as many as 3 million people from The Gambia. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed the short-lived confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1994, Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup overthrowing the president and banning political activity. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs.

Area

land

10,120 sq km

total

11,300 sq km

water

1,180 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

highest point

unnamed elevation 63 m; 3 km southeast of the town of Sabi

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

34 m

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Geography - note

almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the African mainland

Irrigated land

50 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Senegal 749 km

total

749 km

Land use

agricultural land

62.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)

forest

22% (2023 est.)

other

15.4% (2023 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Gambia river mouth (shared with Senegal and Guinea [s]) - 1,094 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

18 nm

continental shelf

extent not specified

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

droughts

Natural resources

fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon

Population distribution

settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Age structure

0-14 years

38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309)

15-64 years

58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127)

65 years and over

3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

26.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

0.2% (2020)

women married by age 15

5.6% (2020)

women married by age 18

23.1% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.6% (2020 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63% (2020 est.)

Death rate

5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.3 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

15.8 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

72.1 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

65.7 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 85.6% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 90.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 14.4% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 9.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

14.2% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Mandinka/Jahanka 33.3%, Fulani/Tukulur/Lorobo 18.2%, Wolof 12.9%, Jola/Karoninka 11%, Serahuleh 7.2%, Serer 3.5%, other 4%, non-Gambian 9.9% (2019-20 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.67 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

3.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

7.5% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

32.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

39.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

70.1 years

male

66.7 years

total population

68.4 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

40.5% (2021 est.)

male

65.3% (2021 est.)

total population

51.6% (2021 est.)

Major urban areas - population

481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

20.6 years

male

19.8 years

total

20.5 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.7 years (2019/20 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Gambian

noun

Gambian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.3% (2016)

Physician density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

1,272,837

male

1,250,490

total

2,523,327 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

2.09% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 32% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 59.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 74.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 68% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 40.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 25.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.5% (2025 est.)

male

17% (2025 est.)

total

8.6% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.39 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

5 regions, 1 city*, and 1 municipality**; Banjul*, Central River, Kanifing**, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, West Coast

Capital

etymology

the name derives from a misunderstanding between Portuguese colonists and inhabitants in the 15th century; when asked what the area was called, the inhabitants thought they were being asked what they were doing and replied, "bangjulo," or "rope making"

geographic coordinates

13 27 N, 16 34 W

name

Banjul

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

yes

citizenship by descent only

yes

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly membership in each of several readings and approval by the president of the republic; a referendum is required for amendments affecting national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, government structures and authorities, taxation, and public funding; passage by referendum requires participation of at least 50% of eligible voters and approval by at least 75% of votes cast

history

previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form

The Gambia

etymology

named for the Gambia River that flows through the country; Portuguese explorers in the 15th century derived the name for the river from its local name, Ba-Dimma, meaning "the river"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eugene S. YOUNG (since 14 October 2025)

email address and website

ConsularBanjul@state.gov https://gm.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul

FAX

[220] 439-2475

mailing address

2070 Banjul Place, Washington DC 20521-2070

telephone

[220] 439-2856

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

5630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

chief of mission

Ambassador Momodou Lamin BAH (12 December 2022)

email address and website

info@gambiaembassydc.us https://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home

FAX

[1] (202) 785-1430

telephone

[1] (202) 785-1399

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022)

election results

2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (NPP) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (UDP) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 12.3%, other 6.8% 2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1%

election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); vice president appointed by the president

expected date of next election

2026

head of government

Vice President Mohammed JALLOW (since 23 February 2024)

most recent election date

4 December 2021

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green meaning: red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue for the Gambia River, and green for forests and agriculture; the white stripes denote unity and peace

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

18 February 1965 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court of The Gambia (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices; court sessions held with 5 justices)

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, a 6-member independent body of high-level judicial officials, a presidential appointee, and a National Assembly appointee; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 75

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; High Court; Special Criminal Court; Khadis or Muslim courts; district tribunals; magistrates courts; cadi courts

Legal system

mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

April 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

National Assembly

most recent election date

4/9/2022

number of seats

58 (53 directly elected; 5 appointed)

parties elected and seats per party

National People's Party (NPP) (18); United Democratic Party (UDP) (15); National Reconciliation Party (NRP) (4); Independents (12); Other (4)

percentage of women in chamber

8.6%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song "Foday Kaba Dumbuya"

lyrics/music

Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE

title

"For The Gambia, Our Homeland"

National color(s)

red, blue, green, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites; Stone Circles of Senegambia

total World Heritage Sites

2 (both cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

National symbol(s)

lion

Political parties

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC  Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC  Gambia Moral Congress or GMC  National People's Party or NPP  People's Progressive Party or PPP  United Democratic Party or UDP 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, groundnuts, milk, millet, oil palm fruit, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruits, sorghum (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$221.137 million (2018 est.)

revenues

$308.887 million (2018 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$90.251 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$120.064 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$74.374 million (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$902.421 million (2023 est.)

Economic overview

low-income West African economy; agriculture-dominant; high poverty rate; heightened inflation; dependent on foreign assistance and remittances; structural reforms conditioned by IMF Extended Credit Facility program

Exchange rates

Currency

dalasis (GMD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

50.062 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

51.502 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

51.484 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

54.923 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

61.096 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$267.377 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$717.774 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$838.409 million (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

packaged medicine, cars, harvesting machinery, refined petroleum, trailers (2023)

Exports - partners

Kazakhstan 92%, Guinea-Bissau 2%, China 1%, India 1%, Greece 1% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

6.6% (2024 est.)

government consumption

8.5% (2024 est.)

household consumption

83.2% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.2% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

39% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

24.1% (2024 est.)

industry

14.7% (2024 est.)

services

53.9% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.508 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

38.8 (2020 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.5% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6% (2020 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$829.516 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$1.353 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$1.549 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cotton fabric, iron alloys, rice (2023)

Imports - partners

Kazakhstan 26%, China 18%, Senegal 8%, India 7%, Brazil 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

2.4% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11.5% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

17% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

11.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

783,100 (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

53.4% (2020 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

82.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$7.549 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$7.911 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$8.365 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.7% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,900 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,900 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$3,000 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

22.8% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

21.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

21.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$652.671 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$568.244 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$577.028 million (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

6.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

6.5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

6.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

10.9% (2024 est.)

male

10.9% (2024 est.)

total

10.9% (2024 est.)

Electricity

consumption

410.824 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

162,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

104.176 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

31.2%

electrification - total population

65.4% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

82.8%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

2.731 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

total

6,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-run TV-channel; one privately owned TV station; 1 online TV station; 3 state-owned and 31 privately owned radio stations; 8 community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available; cable and satellite TV subscription services in some parts of the country (2019)

Internet country code

.gm

Internet users

percent of population

46% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

60,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

101 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

2.68 million (2021 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C5

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, other 10

total

15 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Banjul

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

1

Military - note

the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) are responsible for external defense and aiding civil authorities in internal emergencies and natural disaster relief; they participate in multinational peacekeeping missions, as well as domestic support activities such as agricultural development, construction, education, and health services; the Gambian security forces have a history of involvement in domestic politics, including multiple coup attempts and mutinies, with the latest being an attempted coup in 2022 since January 2017, several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have provided security forces for Gambia's stability, plus assistance and training for the GAF and other Gambian security forces through the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG); as of 2025, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal were providing military and gendarmerie personnel for ECOMIG (2025)

Military and security forces

Gambian Armed Forces (GAF; aka Armed Forces of the Gambia): the Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambia Navy, Gambia Air Force, Republican National Guard (RNG) Ministry of Interior: Gambia Police Force (GPF) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 3,000-4,000 active Gambian Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military of Gambia has a limited inventory of mostly older, obsolescent, or donated equipment originating from several suppliers, including Taiwan, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-28 years of age for men and women depending on enlisted, officer, or specialized positions (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

7,462 (2024 est.)

refugees

4,411 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture; desertification; water pollution; water-borne diseases

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban

Particulate matter emissions

34.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

39.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

41.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

193,400 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

13% (2022 est.)