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| Introduction | Gambia, The |
| Background: | The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early 2002. |
| People | Gambia, The |
| Population: | 1,546,848 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 44.7% (male 347,349; female 344,264) 15-64 years: 52.6% (male 403,297; female 410,382) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 21,459; female 20,097) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 17.5 years male: 17.4 years female: 17.7 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.98% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 40.3 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 12.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 73.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 80.14 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 54.79 years male: 52.76 years female: 56.87 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 5.46 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.2% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 6,800 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 600 (2003 est.) |
| Major infectious diseases: | typhoid fever, dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, schistosomiasis overall degree of risk: very high (2004) |
| Nationality: | noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian |
| Ethnic groups: | African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% |
| Religions: | Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1% |
| Languages: | English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Gambia, The |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia conventional short form: The Gambia |
| Government type: | republic under multiparty democratic rule |
| Capital: | Banjul |
| Administrative divisions: | 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western |
| Independence: | 18 February 1965 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 18 February (1965) |
| Constitution: | 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997 |
| Legal system: | based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou 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; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7% |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held NA January 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1, |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; 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 [Sidia JATTA] note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996 |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Lena Manga Sagnia SECK chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson McDONALD embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971 FAX: [220] 392475 |
| Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green |
| Communications | Gambia, The |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 38,400 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 100,000 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is available domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001) |
| Radios: | 196,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (government-owned) (1997) |
| Televisions: | 5,000 (2000) |
| Internet country code: | .gm |
| Internet hosts: | 568 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2001) |
| Internet users: | 25,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Gambia, The |
| Highways: | total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1999) |
| Waterways: | 390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Banjul |
| Merchant marine: | none |
| Airports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Gambia, The |
| Military branches: | Gambian National Army (GNA) (including Naval Unit), Presidential Guard |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 350,256 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 176,733 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $900,000 (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 0.3% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues | Gambia, The |
| Disputes - international: | attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, other illegal activities, and political instability from separatist movement in southern Senegal's Casamance region |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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