Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 provided courtesy of
the libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
======================================================
National Trade Data Bank
ITEM ID     : CI WOFACT WO0087
DATE        : Oct 28, 1994
 
AGENCY      : CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PROGRAM     : WORLD FACTBOOK
TITLE       : World Factbook: The Gambia
 
Source key      : CI 
Program key     : CI WOFACT 
Update sched.   : Annually         
Data type       : TEXT 
End year        : 1994
Date of record  : 19941020
Keywords 3      :  
Keywords 3      : | The Gambia 
 
 
                                The Gambia
 
 
                                 Geography
 
Location:
     Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean almost completely
     surrounded by Senegal
Map references:
     Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     11,300 sq km
land area:
     10,000 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:
     total 740 km, Senegal 740 km
Coastline:
     80 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     18 nm
continental shelf:
     not specified
exclusive fishing zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
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
Natural resources:
     fish
Land use:
arable land:
     16%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     9%
forest and woodland:
     20%
other:
     55%
Irrigated land:
     120 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
natural hazards:
     rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last thirty years
 
 
international agreements:
     party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
     Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified -
     Biodiversity, Climate Change
Note:
     almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of
     Africa
 
                                  People
 
Population:
     959,300 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     3.08% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     46.39 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     15.64 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     50.08 years
male:
     47.83 years
female:
     52.39 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     6.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Gambian(s)
adjective:
     Gambian
Ethnic divisions:
     African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%,
     other 4%), non-Gambian 1%
Religions:
     Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:
     English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
     vernaculars
Literacy:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
     27%
male:
     39%
female:
     16%
Labor force:
     400,000 (1986 est.)
 
 
by occupation:
     agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government
     6.1%
note:
     55% population of working age (1983)
 
                                Government
 
Names:
conventional long form:
     Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form:
Digraph:
     GA
Type:
     republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital:
     Banjul
Administrative divisions:
     5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North
     Bank, Upper River, Western
Independence:
     18 February 1965 (from UK; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement
     on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose
     confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was
     dissolved on 30 September 1989)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Constitution:
     24 April 1970
Legal system:
     based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary
     law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
     21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
     President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice
     President Saihou SABALLY (since NA); election last held on 29 April
     1992 (next to be held April 1997); results - Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP)
     58.5%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 22.2%, Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 8.0%
cabinet:
     Cabinet; appointed by the president from members of the House of
     Representatives
Legislative branch:
     unicameral
House of Representatives:
     elections last held on 29 April 1992 (next to be held April 1997);
     results - PPP 58.1%, seats - (43 total, 36 elected) PPP 30, NCP 6
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court
 
 
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), Hassan Musa CAMARA; United Party (UP), leader NA; People's
     Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), leader
     NA; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Jabel SALLAH
Member of:
     ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
     IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
     IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
     WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH
chancery:
     Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:
     (202) 785-1399, 1379, or 1425
FAX:
     (202) 785-1430
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Arlene RENDER
embassy:
     Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address:
     P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone:
     [220] 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971
FAX:
     (220) 92475
Flag:
     three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and
     green
 
                                  Economy
 
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 roughly $800. About 75% of the
     population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising, which
     contribute 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing activity - processing
     peanuts, fish, and hides - accounts for less than 10% of GDP. A
     sustained structural adjustment program, including a liberalized trade
     policy, has fostered a respectable 4% rate of growth in recent years.
     Re-export trade constitutes one-third of economic activity; however,
     border closures associated with Senegal's monetary crisis in late 1993
     led to a 50% decline in re-export trade, reducing government revenues
     in turn. Devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 has made
     Senegalese goods more competitive, and is likely to prompt a
     relaxation of Senegalese controls, paving the way for a comeback in
     re-exports.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $740 million (1993 est.)
 
 
National product real growth rate:
     4.5% (FY92 est)
National product per capita:
     $800 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     5% (FY 92 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     NA%
Budget:
revenues:
     $94 million
expenditures:
     $80 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
     $164 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)
commodities:
     peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
partners:
     Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1%, other 5% (1989)
Imports:
     $214 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)
commodities:
     foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel, machinery and transport
     equipment
partners:
     Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR and Eastern Europe 9%, US 6%, other 3%
     (1989)
External debt:
     $336 million (December 1990 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 6.7% (year NA); accounts for 5.8% of GDP (FY90)
Electricity:
capacity:
     30,000 kW
production:
     65 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     75 kWh (1991)
Industries:
     peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery
     assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Agriculture:
     accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the population;
     imports one-third of food requirements; major export crop is peanuts;
     other principal crops - millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava, palm
     kernels; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats; forestry and fishing
     resources not fully exploited
Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $93 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $535
     million; Communist countries (1970-89), $39 million
Currency:
     1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut
 
 
Exchange rates:
     dalasi (D) per US$1 - 9.440 (November 1993), 8.888 (1992), 8.803
     (1991), 7.883 (1990), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988)
Fiscal year:
     1 July - 30 June
 
                              Communications
 
Highways:
total:
     3,083 km
paved:
     431 km
unpaved:
     gravel, crushed stone 501 km; unimproved earth 2,151 km
Inland waterways:
     400 km
Ports:
     Banjul
Merchant marine:
     1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,194 GRT/19,394 DWT
Airports:
total:
     1
usable:
     1
with permanent-surface runways:
     1
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     0
Telecommunications:
     adequate network of radio relay and wire; 3,500 telephones; broadcast
     stations - 3 AM, 2 FM; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
 
                              Defense Forces
 
Branches:
     Army, Navy, National Gendarmerie, National Police
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 207,754; fit for military service 105,100
Defense expenditures:
     $NA, NA% of GDP
 
 
 
===========================================================================
This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 produced by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK (NTDB) CD-ROM,
November, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/11/v.1-2 / Presented by Raleigh Muns,
(srcmuns@umslvma.umsl.edu) University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries.