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

20 sq km (2008)

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

1,797,860 (July 2011 est.)

2.396% (2011 est.)

34.19 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

7.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

-2.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

BANJUL (capital) 436,000 (2009)

4.23 children born/woman (2011 est.)

2% (2009 est.)

18,000 (2009 est.)

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.)

urban: 96% of population

rural: 86% of population

total: 92% of population

urban: 4% of population

rural: 14% of population

total: 8% of population (2008)

urban: 68% of population

rural: 65% of population

total: 67% of population

urban: 32% of population

rural: 35% of population

total: 33% of population (2008)

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

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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

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

Supreme Court

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH] (the ruling party); 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

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

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

The Gambia has sparse natural resource deposits and a limited agricultural base, and relies in part on remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts. About three-quarters of the population depends on the agricultural sector for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa, boosted by government and private sector investments in eco-tourism and upscale facilities. In the past few years, The Gambia's re-export trade - traditionally a major segment of economic activity - has declined, but its banking sector has grown rapidly. Unemployment and underemployment rates 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. The quality of fiscal management, however, is weak. The government has promised to raise civil service wages over the next two years and the deficit is projected to worsen.

$3.494 billion (2010 est.)

$3.304 billion (2009 est.)

$3.098 billion (2008 est.)

$1.067 billion (2010 est.)

5.7% (2010 est.)

6.7% (2009 est.)

6.3% (2008 est.)

$1,900 (2010 est.)

$1,900 (2009 est.)

$1,800 (2008 est.)

777,100 (2007)

NA%

NA%

50.2 (1998)

28% of GDP (2010 est.)

5.5% (2010 est.)

4.6% (2009 est.)

9% (31 December 2009)

11% (31 December 2008)

27% (31 December 2009 est.)

27.92% (31 December 2007)

$222.9 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$210.2 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$453.9 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$438.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$293.5 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$283.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$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

8.9%

160 million kWh (2007 est.)

148.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

41.62 bbl/day (2007 est.)

2,266 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-90 million (2010 est.)

$-81 million (2009 est.)

$107 million (2010 est.)

$95 million (2009 est.)

peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels

India 42.06%, France 15.34%, UK 9.03%, China 7.38%, Hong Kong 4.55%, Belgium 3.97% (2009)

$306 million (2010 est.)

$280 million (2009 est.)

foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

China 20.45%, Senegal 11.97%, Brazil 8.48%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.71%, Netherlands 4.68%, US 4.49% (2009)

$203 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$224 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$530 million (31 December 2010 est.)

$489 million (31 December 2009 est.)

dalasis (GMD) per US dollar -

28.5193 (2010)

26.6444 (2009)

22.75 (2008)

27.79 (2007)

28.066 (2006)

49,000 (2009)

1.433 million (2009)

state-owned, single-channel TV service; state-owned radio station and 4 privately-owned radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available, some via shortwave radio; foreign cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable in some parts of the country (2007)

.gm

1,453 (2010)

130,100 (2009)

1 (2010)

390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2010)

Banjul

Office of the Chief of Defense Staff: Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2010)

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

0.9% of GDP (2009)

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