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Gambia Country Guide
Explore Gambia in Africa
The topography includes flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills. The average density of population is approximately 141 per km². The notable climate conditions in Gambia can be described as tropical with hot, rainy season (June to November) and cooler, dry season (November to May). Possible natural disasters include drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years).
To reach someone in Gambia dial +220 prior to a number. There are 49,000 installed telephones. And there are 1,433,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".gm". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 230V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Gambia
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 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 2011.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Africa Neighbours: Senegal Capital: Banjul |
| Size | 11,300 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 4,362 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly less than twice the size of Delaware |
| Population | 1,593,256 |
| Currency | Name Dalasi, Currency Code:GMD |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .gm |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +220 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 1,433,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 49,000 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 11,295 (sq km) | 167 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,883,051 | 149 |
| Population growth rate | 2.29 (%) | 37 |
| Birth rate | 32.59 (births/1,000 population) | 33 |
| Death rate | 7.38 (deaths/1,000 population) | 118 |
| Net migration rate | -2.34 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 167 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 360.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 28 |
| Infant mortality rate | 67.63 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 20 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 64.09 (years) | 176 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.98 (children born/woman) | 41 |
| Health expenditures | 5.70 (% of GDP) | 115 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 2.00 (%) | 29 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 18,000 | 80 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 1,000 | 72 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 7.90 (%) | 138 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 15.80 (%) | 49 |
| Education expenditures | 3.90 (% of GDP) | 112 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 3,459,000,000 | 178 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.90 (%) | 82 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 1,900 | 195 |
| Labor force | 777,100 | 149 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 50.20 | 22 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 26.60 (% of GDP) | 37 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 22.50 (% of GDP) | 139 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -5.50 (% of GDP) | 165 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6.20 (%) | 164 |
| Central bank discount rate | 11.00 (%) | 21 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 28.00 (%) | 6 |
| Stock of narrow money | 224,300,000 | 176 |
| Stock of broad money | 512,200,000 | 177 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 400,000,000 | 177 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 8.90 (%) | 18 |
| Current account balance | -155,500,000 | 73 |
| Exports | 103,300,000 | 190 |
| Imports | 354,100,000 | 195 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 225,300,000 | 158 |
| Debt - external | 545,800,000 | 168 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 240,000,000 (kWh) | 178 |
| Electricity - consumption | 223,200,000 (kWh) | 183 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 53,000 (kW) | 181 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 100.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 13 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 3,181 (bbl/day) | 179 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 42 (bbl/day) | 121 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 2,913 (bbl/day) | 169 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 291,000 (Mt) | 189 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 50,400 | 163 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,400,000 | 147 |
| Internet hosts | 656 | 179 |
| Internet users | 130,100 | 150 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 1 | 216 |
| Roadways | 3,742 (km) | 159 |
| Waterways | 390 (km) | 89 |
| Merchant marine | 4 | 130 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 0.70 (% of GDP) | 154 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites James Island and Related Sites present a testimony to the main periods and facets of the encounter between Africa and Europe along the River Gambia, a continuum stretching from pre-colonial and pre-slavery times to independence. The site is particula ... | 2003 |
| Stone Circles of Senegambia The site consists of four large groups of stone circles that represent an extraordinary concentration of over 1,000 monuments in a band 100 km wide along some 350 km of the River Gambia. The four groups, Sine Ngayène, Wanar, Wassu and Kerbatch, cover ... | 2006 |