The Gambia
Republic of The Gambia
Capital: Banjul
History
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
Metric Units
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$103.3 million |
| Export Items |
peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels |
| Export Partners |
China 37.5%, India 27.3%, France 9.3%, UK 5.6% (2011) |
| Imports |
$354.1 million |
| Import Items |
foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment |
| Import Partners |
China 27.9%, Brazil 9.6%, Senegal 8.3%, India 6.3% (2011) |
People
| Population |
1,883,051 |
| Population Growth |
2.29% |
| Ethnic Groups |
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census) |
| Religion |
Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2% |
| Life Expectancy |
64.09 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.98 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
3.7 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
