Gambia, The

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 5,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.2 (2020 est.)

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

total: 858,000 (2021 est.) percent of population: 33% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Gambia s telecom market has five mobile networks providing effective competition; mobile subscriptions are well above the African average, itself a testament to the poor condition of the fixed-line infrastructure and the lack of availability of fixed services in many rural areas of the country; there are only four licensed ISPs, which are small networks serving local areas, and so competition is minimal; their limited services are complemented by the fixed-wireless offerings of three of the MNOs; the government has embarked on a National Broadband Network program aimed at closing the digital divide affecting many parts of the country; despite efforts to improve internet connectivity, the country ranks among the lowest globally in terms of digital readiness. (2022) domestic: fixed-line subscriptions are 2 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity nearly 110 per 100 persons (2021) 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)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 60,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 2.678 million (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products

groundnuts, milk, rice, millet, oil palm fruit, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruits, sorghum (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $308.887 million (2018 est.) expenditures: $221.137 million (2018 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Current account balance

-$90.251 million (2022 est.) -$86.877 million (2021 est.) -$86.553 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$696.707 million (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income West African economy; agriculture-dominant; high poverty rate; heightened inflation; dependent on foreign assistance and remittances; structural reforms conditioned by IMF Extended Credit Facility program

Exchange rates

dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 61.096 (2023 est.) 54.923 (2022 est.) 51.484 (2021 est.) 51.502 (2020 est.) 50.062 (2019 est.)

Exports

$267.377 million (2022 est.) $142.652 million (2021 est.) $175.682 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

coconuts/Brazil nuts/cashews, wood, shellfish, scrap iron, fish oil (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

India 31%, China 23%, Italy 7%, Chile 7%, Portugal 5% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.34 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 81.6% (2023 est.) government consumption: 8.8% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 39.3% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 5.4% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -35.1% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 24.6% (2023 est.) industry: 15.2% (2023 est.) services: 51.5% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

38.8 (2020 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% (2020 est.) highest 10%: 30.6% (2020 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$829.516 million (2022 est.) $726.23 million (2021 est.) $690.979 million (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

cotton fabric, rice, raw sugar, poultry, palm oil (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 31%, Senegal 12%, India 8%, Brazil 8%, US 5% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

6.5% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

16.97% (2023 est.) 11.51% (2022 est.) 7.37% (2021 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

969,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

53.4% (2020 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

88% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$7.905 billion (2023 est.) $7.508 billion (2022 est.) $7.156 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

5.3% (2023 est.) 4.92% (2022 est.) 5.26% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$2,900 (2023 est.) $2,800 (2022 est.) $2,700 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

26.82% of GDP (2023 est.) 23.07% of GDP (2022 est.) 27.16% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$577.028 million (2023 est.) $568.244 million (2022 est.) $652.671 million (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Taxes and other revenues

20.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

6.48% (2023 est.) 6.08% (2022 est.) 6.21% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 10.6% (2023 est.) male: 10.9% (2023 est.) female: 10.4% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Carbon dioxide emissions

524,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 524,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 140,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 405.405 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 104.176 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 65.4% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 82.8% electrification - rural areas: 31.2%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 99.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

2.651 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 39.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 0.53 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 1.96 megatons (2020 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.) arable land: 41% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 14.6% (2018 est.) forest: 43.9% (2018 est.) other: 0% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

2.47% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 193,441 tons (2002 est.)

Area

total : 11,300 sq km land: 10,120 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 63 m; 3 km southeast of the town of Sabi 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

total: 749 km border countries (1): Senegal 749 km

Land use

agricultural land: 56.1% (2018 est.) arable land: 41% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.) 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 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: extent not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Banjul geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

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; the president announced in January 2022 government plans to draft a new 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

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 Sharon L. CROMER (since 18 March 2022) embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul mailing address: 2070 Banjul Place, Washington DC 20521-2070 telephone: [220] 439-2856 FAX: [220] 439-2475 email address and website: ConsularBanjul@state.gov https://gm.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Momodou Lamin BAH (12 December 2022) chancery: 5630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430 email address and website: info@gambiaembassydc.us https://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home

Executive branch

chief of state: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022) head of government: Vice President Mohammed JALLOW (since 23 February 2024) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president 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 election results: 2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (NPP) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (UDP) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 12.3%, other 6.8% 2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1%

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, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): 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) elections: last held on 9 April 2022 (next to be held in 2027) election results: percent of vote by party - NPP 33.9%, UDP 28.3%, independent 22.6%, NRP 7.5%, PDOIS 3.7%, APRL 3.7%; seats by party - NPP 18, UDP 15, independent 12, NRP 4, APRL 2, PDOIS 2; composition - men 53, women 5, percentage women 8.6%

National anthem

name: "For The Gambia, Our Homeland" lyrics/music: Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE note: adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song "Foday Kaba Dumbuya"

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites; Stone Circles of Senegambia

National holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC Gambia Moral Congress or GMC National People's Party or NPP People's Progressive Party or PPP United Democratic Party or UDP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. 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. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs.

Military - note

the Gambian security forces have a history of involvement in domestic politics, including multiple coups attempts and mutinies, with the latest being an attempted coup in 2022; since 2017, Gambia s security sector has been undergoing reforms as part of a national reconstruction effort to recover from the 22 years of Yahya JAMMEH s autocratic rule under which the security forces were under-resourced in terms of finances and equipment and were largely directed towards regime protection and suppressing dissent; international partners, including member states of the EU, particularly France and Germany, as well as Turkey and the US have provided assistance for military and police reforms; several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have also provided security forces for stability, plus assistance and training through the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG); as of 2024, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal were providing military and gendarmerie personnel for ECOMIG the GAF is a small and lightly armed force responsible for external defense, including maritime security, and aiding civil authorities in emergencies and natural disaster relief; it also engages in domestic support activities such as engineering, education, health, and agriculture development; the GAF participates in peacekeeping missions, and since its first deployments in the 1990s, has been involved in more than 10 UN peacekeeping missions the 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 GAF 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 troops from both countries (2024)

Military and security forces

Gambian Armed Forces (GAF; aka Armed Forces of the Gambia): the Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambia Navy, Gambia Air Force, Republican National Guard (RNG) Ministry of Interior: Gambia Police Force (GPF) (2024) note: the RNG is responsible for VIP protection, riot control, and presidential security, while the GPF maintains internal security

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 3,000 military personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military of Gambia has a limited inventory of mostly older, obsolescent, or donated equipment originating from several suppliers, including Taiwan, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.) 0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (18-22 for officers); no conscription; service obligation six months (2024)

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309) 15-64 years: 58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127) 65 years and over: 3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

27.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 5.6% women married by age 18: 23.1% men married by age 18: 0.2% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.6% (2019/20)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

18.9% (2019/20)

Current health expenditure

2.6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

60.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

The Gambia s youthful age structure approximately 55% of the population is under the age of 25 as of 2021 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 50%, 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 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 increased poverty among Gambian villagers. The number of refugees decreased to around 3,500 by 2022.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 85 youth dependency ratio: 80.5 elderly dependency ratio: 4.5 potential support ratio: 22.2 (2021 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 91.8% of population rural: 85.7% of population total: 89.5% of population unimproved: urban: 8.2% of population rural: 14.3% of population total: 10.5% of population (2020 est.)

Education expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2020 est.)

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.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.74 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 35.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 39.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 32.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.4 years (2024 est.) male: 66.7 years female: 70.1 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.1% male: 65.2% female: 51.2% (2021)

Major urban areas - population

481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023) note: includes the local government areas of Banjul and Kanifing

Maternal mortality ratio

458 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 20.2 years (2024 est.) male: 19.8 years female: 20.6 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

20.7 years (2019/20 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10.3% (2016)

Physician density

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

total: 2,523,327 male: 1,250,490 female: 1,272,837 (2024 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

2.16% (2024 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 75.8% of population rural: 33.6% of population total: 60% of population unimproved: urban: 24.2% of population rural: 66.4% of population total: 40% of population (2020 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 11.1% (2020 est.) male: 21.4% (2020 est.) female: 0.8% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.52 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 5,600 (2022)

Airports

1 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

C5

Merchant marine

total: 15 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, other 10

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 53,735 (2018)

Ports

total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 0 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Banjul

Roadways

total: 2,977 km paved: 518 km unpaved: 2,459 km (2011)

Waterways

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