2021 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. In 1965, The Gambia gained its independence from the UK. 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. JAMMEH won every presidential election until 2016. In December 2016, after 22 years of authoritarian rule, President JAMMEH lost to Adama BARROW during free and fair elections. Due to The Gambia’s poor human rights record under JAMMEH, international development partners had substantially reduced aid to the country. These channels have now reopened under the administration of President BARROW. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported military education and training programs, capacity building, and democracy-strengthening activities.    

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 53 m

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

56.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 41% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 14.6% (2018 est.)

forest

43.9% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 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 kmnote – [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

35.15% (male 391,993/female 388,816)

15-24 years

20.12% (male 221,519/female 225,414)

25-54 years

36.39% (male 396,261/female 412,122)

55-64 years

4.53% (male 48,032/female 52,538)

65 years and over

3.81% (male 38,805/female 45,801) (2021 est.)

Birth rate

26.42 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.6% (2019/20)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

16.8% (2018)

note

note: percent of women aged 15-49

Current Health Expenditure

3.1% (2018)

Death rate

6.66 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

The Gambia’s youthful age structure – almost 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – is likely to persist because the country’s total fertility rate remains strong at nearly 4 children per woman. The overall literacy rate is around 55%, and is significantly lower for women than for men. At least 70% of the populace are farmers who are reliant on rain-fed agriculture and cannot afford improved seeds and fertilizers. Crop failures caused by droughts between 2011 and 2013 have increased poverty, food shortages, and malnutrition.The Gambia is a source country for migrants and a transit and destination country for migrants and refugees. Since the 1980s, economic deterioration, drought, and high unemployment, especially among youths, have driven both domestic migration (largely urban) and migration abroad (legal and illegal). Emigrants are largely skilled workers, including doctors and nurses, and provide a significant amount of remittances. The top receiving countries for Gambian emigrants are Spain, the US, Nigeria, Senegal, and the UK. While the Gambia and Spain do not share historic, cultural, or trade ties, rural Gambians have migrated to Spain in large numbers because of its proximity and the availability of jobs in its underground economy (this flow slowed following the onset of Spain’s late 2007 economic crisis).The Gambia’s role as a host country to refugees is a result of wars in several of its neighboring West African countries. Since 2006, refugees from the Casamance conflict in Senegal have replaced their pattern of flight and return with permanent settlement in The Gambia, often moving in with relatives along the Senegal-Gambia border. The strain of providing for about 7,400 Casamance refugees has increased poverty among Gambian villagers.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.7

potential support ratio

21.1 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

86.9

youth dependency ratio

82.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 80.4% of population

improved: total

total: 87.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 91.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 19.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 12.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 8.6% of population

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2019)

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.8% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,300 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

27,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

58.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

70.93 deaths/1,000 live births

total

65.04 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

68.57 years (2021 est.)

male

63.8 years

total population

66.15 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

41.6% (2015)

male

61.8%

total population

50.8%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

459,000 BANJUL (capital) (2021)

note

note: includes the local government areas of Banjul and Kanifing

Maternal mortality ratio

597 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

22.2 years (2020 est.)

male

21.5 years

total

21.8 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.7 years (2019/20 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Gambian

noun

Gambian(s)

Net migration rate

-1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.3% (2016)

Physicians density

0.1 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

2,221,301 (July 2021 est.)

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

Population growth rate

1.82% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 44.5% of population

improved: total

total: 66.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 80.4% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 55.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 33.7% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 19.6% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.98 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.91 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.13 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

32.3% (2018 est.)

male

21%

total

25.8%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

63.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

Banjul is located on Saint Mary's Island at the mouth of the Gambia River; the Mandinka used to gather fibrous plants on the island for the manufacture of ropes; "bang julo" is Mandinka for "rope fiber"; mispronunciation over time caused the term became the word Banjul

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

amendments

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; amended 2001, 2004, 2018

history

previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997; note - in early 2018, the "Constitutional Review Commission," was established to draft  and assist in instituting a new constitution; a second draft completed in March 2020 was rejected by the National Assembly in September

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of The Gambia

conventional short form

The Gambia

etymology

named for the Gambia River that flows through the heart of the country

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Richard Carlton "Carl" PASCHALL (since 9 April 2019)

email address and website

ConsularBanjul@state.govhttps://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 Dawda D. FADERA (since 24 January 2018)

email address and website

info@gambiaembassy.ushttps://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home

FAX

[1] (202) 785-1430

telephone

[1] (202) 785-1399; [1] (202) 785-1428

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

chief of state

President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2017); Vice President Isatou TOURAY (since 15 March 2019); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (National People's Party) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (United Democratic Party) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC)12.3%, Halifa SALLAH (PDOIS) 3.8%, Essa M. FAAL (Independent) 2%, Abdoulie Ebrima JAMMEH (NUP) 0.96%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 4 December 2021 (next to be held in 2026); vice president appointed by the president

head of government

President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2017); Vice President Isatou TOURAY (since 15 March 2019)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green; red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue represents the Gambia River, and green symbolizes 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, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

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

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly (58 seats; 53 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - UDP 37.5%, GDC 17.4%, APRC 16%, PDOIS 9%, NRP 6.3%, PPP 2.5%, other 1.7%, independent 9.6%; seats by party - UDP 31, APRC 5, GDC 5, NRP 5, PDOIS 4, PPP 2, independent 1; composition - men 52, women 6, percent of women 10.3%

elections

last held on 6 April 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE

name

For The Gambia, Our Homeland

note

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: red, blue, green, white

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Fabakary JATTA]Coalition 2016 [collective leadership] (electoral coalition includes UDP, PDOIS, NRP, GMC, GDC, PPP, and GPDP)Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC [Mama KANDEH]Gambia Moral Congress or GMC [Mai FATTY]Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress or GPDP [Sarja JARJOU]National Convention Party or NCP [Yaya  SANYANG and Majanko SAMUSA (both claiming leadership)]National Democratic Action Movement or NDAM [Lamin Yaa JUARA]National People's Party or NPP [Adama BARROW]National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat BAH]People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]People's Progressive Party or PPP [Yaya CEESAY)]United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

groundnuts, milk, oil palm fruit, millet, sorghum, rice, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruit

Budget

expenditures

339 million (2017 est.)

revenues

300.4 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$85 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$194 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$571.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$586.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

The government has invested in the agriculture sector because three-quarters of the population depends on the sector for its livelihood and agriculture provides for about one-third of GDP, making The Gambia largely reliant on sufficient rainfall. The agricultural sector has untapped potential - less than half of arable land is cultivated and agricultural productivity is low. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of cashews, groundnuts, fish, and hides. The Gambia's reexport trade accounts for almost 80% of goods exports and China has been its largest trade partner for both exports and imports for several years.The Gambia has sparse natural resource deposits. It relies heavily on remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts. Remittance inflows to The Gambia amount to about one-fifth of the country’s GDP. The Gambia's location on the ocean and proximity to Europe has made it one of the most frequented tourist destinations in West Africa, boosted by private sector investments in eco-tourism and facilities. Tourism normally brings in about 20% of GDP, but it suffered in 2014 from tourists’ fears of Ebola virus in neighboring West African countries. Unemployment and underemployment remain high.Economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, and on continued technical assistance from multilateral and bilateral donors. International donors and lenders were concerned about the quality of fiscal management under the administration of former President Yahya JAMMEH, who reportedly stole hundreds of millions of dollars of the country’s funds during his 22 years in power, but anticipate significant improvements under the new administration of President Adama BARROW, who assumed power in early 2017. As of April 2017, the IMF, the World Bank, the European Union, and the African Development Bank were all negotiating with the new government of The Gambia to provide financial support in the coming months to ease the country’s financial crisis.The country faces a limited availability of foreign exchange, weak agricultural output, a border closure with Senegal, a slowdown in tourism, high inflation, a large fiscal deficit, and a high domestic debt burden that has crowded out private sector investment and driven interest rates to new highs. The government has committed to taking steps to reduce the deficit, including through expenditure caps, debt consolidation, and reform of state-owned enterprises.

Exchange rates

currency

dalasis (GMD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

41.733 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

41.89 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

49.515 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

51.4 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

51.75 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$435 million (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$448 million (2018 est.)

Exports - commodities

lumber, cashews, refined petroleum, fish oil, ground nut oil (2019)

Exports - partners

China 38%, India 22%, Mali 7%, Chile 5% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

20.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

12% (2017 est.)

household consumption

90.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-40% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-2.7% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

20.4% (2017 est.)

industry

14.2% (2017 est.)

services

65.4% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.746 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

35.9 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

36.9% (2003)

lowest 10%

2%

Imports

Imports 2017

$754 million (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$851 million (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

clothing and apparel, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar, palm oil (2019)

Imports - partners

China 33%, India 10%, Senegal 5%, Brazil 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

8% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

6.5% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

7.1% (2019 est.)

Labor force

777,100 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

75%

industry

19%

services

6% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

48.6% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

82.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

88% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$4.92 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$5.22 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$5.22 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

5.9% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

0.4% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

4.6% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$2,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$2,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$2,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$87.64 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$170 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

32.3% (2018 est.)

male

21%

total

25.8%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

282.8 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

97% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

117,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

304.1 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

16% (2019)

electrification - total population

49% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

69% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

3,800 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

42 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

3,738 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

less than 1 (2018 est.)

total

4,433 (2018)

Broadcast media

1 state-run TV-channel; one privately-owned TV-station; 1 Online TV-station; three state-owned radio station and 31 privately owned radio stations; eight community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available, some via shortwave radio; cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable in some parts of the country  (2019)

Internet country code

.gm

Internet users

percent of population

19.84% (2019 est.)

total

580,200 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line stands at 2 per 100 subscriptions with one dominant company and mobile-cellular teledensity, aided by multiple mobile-cellular providers, is over 140 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

state-owned telecom partially privatized but retains a monopoly with fixed-line service; multiple mobile networks provide 2G to almost all citizens and above the African average; high poverty rates continue to limit access to the Internet, especially via fixed-line services in rural areas; weak political support for development of communications infrastructure, including National Broadband Network program; government depends on donors and loans from China and Islamic Development banks; two submarine cables provide international connectivity within African continent and Europe (2020)

international

country code - 220; landing point for the ACE submarine cable to West Africa and Europe; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1.93 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

44,000 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110.8 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

2,677,954 (2020)

Airports

total

1 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 (2019)

total

1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C5

Merchant marine

by type

other 8 (2021)

total

8

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

53,735 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Banjul

Roadways

paved

518 km (2011)

total

2,977 km (2011)

unpaved

2,459 km (2011)

Waterways

390 km (on River Gambia; small oceangoing vessels can reach 190 km) (2010)

Military - note

in 2017, several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sent security forces to The Gambia to conduct stability operations and provide assistance and training following the 2016 election; as of 2021, the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG) was comprised of about 1,000 military and gendarmerie personnel from Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal; ECOMIG is slated to become a police mission by the end of 2021 the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) traces its origins to the Gambia Regiment of the British Army; established in 1901, the Gambia Regiment was part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF, later Royal West African Frontier Force or RWAFF) and served in both World Wars, including the British 1944-45 military campaign in Burma; the Gambia Regiment was disbanded in 1958 and replaced by the Field Force, a police paramilitary unit; the Field Force was responsible for The Gambia’s security until the establishment of the Gambian Armed Forces in 1985; in addition, a defense agreement signed in 1965 between The Gambia and Senegal provided mutual assistance in the face of an external threat; from 1981-1989, The Gambia and Senegal formed a Confederal Army that was made up of two-thirds Senegalese and one-third Gambian soldiers the military in Gambia, including the Field Force, has a history of heavy involvement in the country’s politics, including multiple coups or coup attempts and mutinies  

Military and security forces

Gambia Armed Forces: the Gambian National Army (GNA; includes a small air wing), Navy, Republican National Guard (responsible for VIP protection, riot control, and presidential security) (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 2,000 total active troops (2020)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the GNA has a limited equipment inventory; since 2000, it has received only a few secondhand items (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2014

1.2% of GDP (2014)

Military Expenditures 2015

1% of GDP (2015)

Military Expenditures 2018

0.7% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.8% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (18-22 for officers); no conscription; service obligation 6 months (2020)

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

Trafficking in persons

current situation

The Gambia is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Gambian women, children, and, to a lesser extent, boys are exploited for prostitution and domestic servitude; women, girls, and boys from West African countries are trafficked to the Gambia for sexual exploitation, particularly catering to European tourists seeking sex with children; some Gambian trafficking victims have been identified in neighboring West African countries and the UK; boys in some Koranic schools are forced into street vending or begging

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — The Gambia does not meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking, but it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has increased investigations, identified more trafficking victims, improved security at a Department of Social Welfare shelter, increased training for officials, and raised public awareness of the problem of trafficking; the government was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List during this rating period; despite these efforts, the government did not convict a trafficker for the third consecutive year; victim services remained inadequate, and some law enforcement officers reportedly requested  bribes to register trafficking complaints (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.53 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

1.96 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

32.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

56.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 41% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 14.6% (2018 est.)

forest

43.9% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

2.47% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

39.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

21.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

41.2 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

63.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

193,441 tons (2002 est.)