The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity. A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. JAMMEH has been elected president in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Africa

slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

80 km

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

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

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

20 sq km (2003)

8 cu km (1982)

drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

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

1,782,893 (July 2009 est.)

2.668% (2009 est.)

37.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

11.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

5.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)

0.9% (2007 est.)

8,200 (2007 est.)

600 (2003 est.)

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census)

Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%

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

2% of GDP (2004)

republic

5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

18 February 1965 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997

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

18 years of age; universal

unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms)

Supreme Court

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC (the ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambia People's Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for Democracy and Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Halifa SALLAH]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

National Environment Agency or NEA; West African Peace Building Network-Gambian Chapter or WANEB-GAMBIA; Youth Employment Network Gambia or YENGambia

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

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

The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits 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 a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

$2.277 billion (2008 est.)

$2.15 billion (2007 est.)

$2.023 billion (2006 est.)

$810 million (2008 est.)

5.9% (2008 est.)

6.3% (2007 est.)

6.5% (2006 est.)

$1,300 (2008 est.)

$1,300 (2007 est.)

$1,200 (2006 est.)

777,100 (2007)

NA%

NA%

50.2 (1998)

28% of GDP (2008 est.)

4.5% (2008 est.)

5.1% (2007 est.)

NA% (31 December 2008)

10% (31 December 2007)

NA% (31 December 2008)

27.92% (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$186.7 million (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$180.4 million (31 December 2007)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$169.9 million (31 December 2007)

$NA

rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

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

0.3% (2008 est.)

160 million kWh (2007 est.)

148.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

41.62 bbl/day (2007 est.)

2,266 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$127 million (2008 est.)

-$80.3 million (2007 est.)

$85 million (2008 est.)

$91.4 million (2007 est.)

peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

India 30.5%, Japan 25.6%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.5%, UK 5.3%, Spain 4.1% (2008)

$299 million (2008 est.)

$262.9 million (2007 est.)

foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

China 20.6%, Senegal 12.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.7%, Brazil 7.7%, Netherlands 5% (2008)

$140 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$142.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)

$628.8 million (2003 est.)

dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 22.75 (2008 est.), 27.79 (2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004)

48,900 (2008)

1.166 million (2008)

AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

1 (government-owned) (1997)

.gm

895 (2009)

114,200 (2008)

1 (2009)

390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2008)

Banjul

Office of the Chief of Defense: Gambian National Army (National Guard, GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2009)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)

0.5% of GDP (2006)

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