SITE
NAVIGATION 		HOME • FLAG FINDER • MAP FINDER • SOURCES • ADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS!
COUNTRIES A-D • COUNTRIES E-K • COUNTRIES L-R • COUNTRIES S-Z
COUNTRY
NAVIGATION 		INTRODUCTION • GEOGRAPHY • PEOPLE • GOVERNMENT • ECONOMY • COMMUNICATIONS • TRANSPORTATION • MILITARY • TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES • ANTHEM • FLAG • MAP • BOOKS • MUSIC • LINKS • LETTERS AND PICTURES
flag

Republic of The Gambia

former: Federation of Senegambia (with Senegal)
We rated with ICRA
 
SafeSurf Rated All Ages

cybersitter
 

 
Click Here to view visitor stats
 

 
MAPS!
 

 

 

 
Clipart.com. Unlimited access to more than 5,000,000 clipart images, animations, photos, fonts, and sounds!
 
Click here to get a free 14-day trial of RealRhapsody
 
Global Gallery: Browse 1000's of Art Prints and Posters
 
Free Animated Aquarium Screensaver!
 
"Napster Official Site - Get Free Trial!"
 
www.ebay.com
 

 

 

 
Contact Us
 
Privacy Statement
 
© 1996-2006
Bob Starkgraf

INTRODUCTION

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 new 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.
TOP OF PAGE
 

GEOGRAPHY

Location:
 Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates:
 13 28 N, 16 34 W
Map references:
 Africa
Area:
 total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,000 sq km
water: 1,300 sq km
Area - comparative:
 slightly less than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:
 total: 740 km
border countries: Senegal 740 km
Coastline:
 80 km
Maritime claims:
 contiguous zone: 18 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
Terrain:
 flood plain of the Gambia river flanked by some low hills
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 53 m
Natural resources:
 fish
Land use:
 arable land: 19.5%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 80% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
 drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)
Environment - current issues:
 deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
Environment - international agreements:
 party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
 almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa
TOP OF PAGE
 

PEOPLE

Population:
 1,455,842 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
 0-14 years: 45.1% (male 329,530; female 326,627)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 377,357; female 383,548)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 20,237; female 18,543) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate:
 3.09% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
 41.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
 12.63 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
 2.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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: 1.09 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
 76.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population: 53.98 years
female: 56.01 years (2002 est.)
male: 52.02 years
Total fertility rate:
 5.61 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 1.95% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 13,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 1,400 (1999 est.)
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: 47.5%
male: 58.4%
female: 37.1% (2001 est.)
TOP OF PAGE