Gambia, The

Airports

1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

Highways

3,083 km total; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite, and 2,151 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

400 km

Ports

Banjul

Telecommunications

adequate network of radio relay and wire; 3,500 telephones; stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Branches

Army, paramilitary Gendarmerie

Defense expenditures

NA

Military manpower

males 15-49, 182,308; 92,001 fit for military service

Agriculture

accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the population; imports one-third of food requirements; major export crop is peanuts; the principal crops--millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm kernels; livestock--cattle, sheep, and goats; forestry and fishing resources not fully exploited

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $84 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $422 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $39 million

Budget

revenues $75 million; expenditures $67 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY89)

Currency

dalasi (plural--dalasi); 1 dalasi (D) = 100 bututs

Electricity

29,000 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

dalasi (D) per US$1--8.3232 (December 1989), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987), 6.9380 (1986), 3.8939 (1985)

Exports

$133 million (f.o.b., FY89); commodities--peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels; partners--Ghana 49%, Europe 27%, Japan 12%, US 1% (1986)

External debt

$330 million (December 1989 est.)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June

GDP

$195 million, per capita $250; real growth rate 4.6% (FY89 est.)

Imports

$105 million (c.i.f., FY89); commodities--foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport equipment; partners--Europe 55% (EC 39%, other 16%), Asia 20%, US 11%, Senegal 4% (1986)

Industrial production

growth rate 7.3% (FY88)

Industries

peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.0% (FY89 est.)

Overview

The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita income of about $250. About 75% of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which contributes about 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing activity--processing peanuts, fish, and hides--accounts for less than 10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry. The Gambia imports about 33% of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports are concentrated on peanut products (over 75% of total value).

Unemployment rate

NA%

Climate

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

Coastline

80 km

Comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of Delaware

Contiguous zone

18 nm;

Continental shelf

not specific;

Disputes

short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

Environment

deforestation

Exclusive fishing zone

200 nm;

Land boundary

740 km with Senegal

Land use

16% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 9% meadows and pastures; 20% forest and woodland; 55% other; includes 3% irrigated

Natural resources

fish

Note

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

Terrain

flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Territorial sea

12 nm

Total area

11,300 km2; land area: 10,000 km2

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Banjul

Communists

no Communist party

Constitution

24 April 1970

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH; Chancery at Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20005; telephone (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359; US--Ambassador (vacant); Embassy at Pipeline Road (Kairaba Avenue), Fajara, Banjul (mailing address is P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul); telephone Serrekunda [220] 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971

Executive branch

president, vice president, Cabinet

Flag

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

Independence

18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice President Bakary Bunja DARBO (since 12 May 1982)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives

Long-form name

Republic of The Gambia

Member of

ACP, AfDB, APC, Commonwealth, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, IRC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Political parties and leaders

People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. Jawara, secretary general; National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff Dibba; Gambian People's Party (GPP), Assan Musa Camara; United Party (UP); People's Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)

Suffrage

universal at age 21 President--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992); results--Sir Dawda Jawara (PPP) 61.1%, Sherif Mustapha Dibba (NCP) 25.2%, Assan Musa Camara (GPP) 13.7%; House of Representatives--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held by March 1992); results--PPP 56.6%, NCP 27.6%, GPP 14.7%, PDOIS 1%; seats--(43 total, 36 elected) PPP 31, NCP 5

Type

republic

Birth rate

48 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

18 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

140 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

400,000 (1986 est.); 75.0% agriculture, 18.9% industry, commerce, and services, 6.1% government; 55% population of working age (1983)

Language

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

Life expectancy at birth

46 years male, 50 years female (1990)

Literacy

25.1%

Nationality

noun--Gambian(s); adjective--Gambian

Net migration rate

0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

25-30% of wage labor force

Population

848,147 (July 1990), growth rate 3.1% (1990)

Religion

90% Muslim, 9% Christian, 1% indigenous beliefs

Total fertility rate

6.5 children born/woman (1990)