Republic of the Gambia

President: Yahya Jammeh (1994)

Land area: 3,861 sq mi (10,000 sq km); total area: 4,363 sq mi (11,300 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 1,641,564 (growth rate: 2.8%); birth rate: 39.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 71.6/1000; life expectancy: 54.1; density per sq mi: 425

Capital (2003 est.): Banjul, 46,700

Largest city: Serekunda, 344,100

Monetary unit: Dalasi

Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous

Ethnicity/race: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions: Islam 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous 1%

Literacy rate: 40% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $2.946 billion; per capita $1,800. Real growth rate: 5.5%. Inflation: 8.8%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 25%. Agriculture: rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats. Labor force: 400,000 (1996); agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%. Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing. Natural resources: fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum. Exports: $140.3 million f.o.b. (2005 est.): peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, reexports. Imports: $197 million f.o.b. (2005 est.): foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment. Major trading partners: India, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Senegal, Brazil, Netherlands, U.S. (2004).

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 38,400 (2002); mobile cellular: 100,000 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001). Television broadcast stations: 1 (government-owned) (1997). Internet hosts: 568 (2004). Internet users: 25,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km. 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. Airports: 1 (2004 est.).

International disputes: attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's Casamance region as well as from conflicts in other west African states.


 

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