National Identity
- Official name
- Republic of The Gambia
- Name etymology
named for the Gambia River that flows through the country; Portuguese explorers in the 15th century derived the name for the river from its local name, Ba-Dimma, meaning "the river"
Sources:- Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, 1997 - Reprinted 2002 ↗ - Judiciary of The Republic of The Gambia
- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
As published by the United Nations The flag is horizontally divided with stripes top to bottom RED, WHITE, BLUE, WHITE, GREEN.
As published in EnglishAs published by the United Nations The RED color symbolizes the sun; The BLUE color symbolizes the River Gambia; The GREEN color symbolizes the land; The WHITE color symbolizes unity and peace.
As published in EnglishSource:- un.int ↗ - the United Nations
- National anthem
- For The Gambia, Our Homeland1:20
- Title
- For The Gambia, Our Homeland
- Lyrics
- English
For The Gambia, our homeland We strive and work and pray, That all may live in unity, Freedom and peace each day. Let justice guide our actions Towards the common good, And join our diverse peoples To prove man’s brotherhood. We pledge our firm allegiance, Our promise we renew; Keep us, great God of nations, To The Gambia ever true.
Source: - Citizens
- Gambians
- Official name:Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, 1997 - Reprinted 2002 ↗ - Judiciary of The Republic of The Gambia
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Coat of arms:Image credit
- National flag:un.int ↗ - the United Nations
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
- Total area
- 11,300 km²
- Land area
- 10,120 km²
- Water area
- 1,180 km²
- Land borders
- 749 km(1 country)
- Senegal
- 749 km
Source:- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Coastline
- 80 km
- Terrain
Flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills - Mean elevation
- 34 m
- Highest point
- 63 m
- Lowest point
- 0 mAtlantic Ocean
- Climate
Tropical hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May) - Avg. temperature
- 27.9 °C
- Avg. daily range
- 23 to 33.9 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 708 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January 32.5 25.2 19.1 1 February 34.5 26.9 20.6 1 March 36.4 28.7 22.1 0 April 37 29.5 23.1 0 May 36.5 29.8 24.3 2 June 34.9 29.7 25.6 28 July 32 28.1 25.1 160 August 30.9 27.3 24.6 259 September 31.4 27.5 24.4 195 October 33.3 28.5 24.7 56 November 34.5 27.9 22.2 3 December 32.9 25.7 19.7 2 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Arable43.5%Perm. crops0.7%Pasture18.5%Forest22.0%Other15.4%
- Arable land
- 440,000 hectares (43.5%)
- Permanent crops
- 7,000 hectares (0.7%)
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 187,000 hectares (18.5%)
- Forest
- 222,538 hectares (22.0%)
- Other land
- 155,462 hectares (15.4%)
Source: - Natural hazards2026
- Epidemics6.4High#39/191River floods4.6Medium#109/191Drought3.0Low#99/191Coastal floods2.5Very low#118/191Tsunamis1.1Very low#94/191Earthquakes0.1Very low#127/191Tropical cyclones0.0Very low
Scores out of 10, ranks out of 191 countries.
Source:- INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Mean elevation, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate, Major rivers:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
- Natural hazards:INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
Demographics
- Population change2026
- +2.20% per year+61,986 people/yearWorld Rank34thof 237
- Birth rate
- 28.7 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 6.2 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- −1.0 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 18.8 yearsWorld Rank211thof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years39.2%15-64 years57.5%65 years +3.3%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 3.3%
- Share aged under 18
- 46.1%
- Total dependency ratio
- 74
- Youth dependency ratio
- 68
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 6
- Sex ratio
- 0.99 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 0.2% 0.2% 70-79 0.6% 0.8% 60-69 1.7% 2.0% 50-59 2.6% 2.9% 40-49 4.0% 4.0% 30-39 6.5% 6.6% 20-29 8.8% 8.8% 10-19 12.0% 11.8% 0-9 13.4% 13.1% - 2026
- 1.50 above the replacement level for Gambia ()3.70 births per womanreplacement 2.201234World Rank32ndof 237
- 1.66 daughters per woman0.66 above replacement, long-run each generation larger than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.52
- 2026
- +22.5 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 22.5 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- −1.0 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 65.7% live in cities1,894,640 urban residents
- Largest cities2013latest available
- Brikama, Bundunka Kunda, Sukuta, TalindingRankCity or SettlementPopulation (2013 census)1Brikama81,0072Bundunka Kunda55,3603Sukuta47,0484Talinding40,5625Faji Kunda38,1216Banjul31,0547Nema Kunku28,6518Farafenni27,3969Bakau New Town25,26510Busumbala24,018Source:
- Gambia Bureau of Statistics (2013 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution
- Settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast.
- Ethnic groups2019
- Mandinka/Jahanka33.3%Fulani/Tukulur/Lorobo18.2%Wolof12.9%Jola/Karoninka11.0%Serahuleh7.2%Serer3.5%Other4.0%Non-Gambian9.9%
- Religions2019
- Muslim96.4%Christian3.5%Other or none0.1%
- Languages
- English
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Largest cities:Gambia Bureau of Statistics (2013 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- RepublicThe President is Head of State and of Government and Commander in Chief, elected with more than half of valid votes or at a second ballot; the Constitution calls the state "a Sovereign Secular Republic" (ss. 1, 48, 61).Source:
- System of government
- PresidentialThe President appoints Secretaries of State, who may not sit in the National Assembly; the Assembly can censure individual ministers by two-thirds on stated grounds, and no one may dissolve it before its term ends (ss. 71, 75, 99).Source:
- Territorial organisation
- Unitary
- Official websites
- Capital
- Banjul26,461 people(2024)
- National holidays
- 20 days in 2026
- ThuJan 1New Year's Day
- WedFeb 18Independence Day
- MonMar 16Laylat al-Qadr (estimated)
- FriMar 20Eid al-Fitr (estimated)
- SatMar 21Eid al-Fitr (estimated)
- MonMar 23Eid al-Fitr (observed, estimated)
- FriApr 3Good Friday
- MonApr 6Easter Monday
- FriMay 1Labor Day
- MonMay 25Africa Liberation Day
- WedMay 27Eid al-Adha (estimated)
- ThuMay 28Eid al-Adha (estimated)
- ThuJun 25Ashura (estimated)
- WedJul 22July 22 Revolution Day
- SatAug 15Assumption Day
- MonAug 17Assumption Day (observed)
- TueAug 25Prophet's Birthday (estimated)
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
- SatDec 26Boxing Day
- MonDec 28Boxing Day (observed)
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- GMTGreenwich Mean TimeUTC+0
- Currency
- Gambian Dalasi (GMD)
- Calling code
- +220
- Internet TLD
- .gm
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- GM, GMB
- Infrastructure
- Passengers carried
- 109,542 by the country's airlines(2019)
- Aircraft departures
- 1,136 by the country's airlines(2019)
- Air freight
- 0 million tonne-km(2019)
- Aircraft registration prefix
- C5
Sources:- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- 2025
- 37 / 100World Rank99thof 182Confidence interval
Corruption index score by year Year Score Lower bound Upper bound 2012 34 22 45 2013 28 17 39 2014 29 17 41 2015 28 17 39 2016 26 14 38 2017 30 20 40 2018 37 22 52 2019 37 27.2 46.8 2020 37 31.8 42.2 2021 37 31.4 42.6 2022 34 27.8 40.2 2023 37 31.5 42.5 2024 38 32.8 43.2 2025 37 32.9 41.1 Source:- Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, 1997, reprinted 2002 ↗ - Ministry of Justice of The Gambia
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Infrastructure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Corruption Perceptions Index:Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
Economy
- Low income
- GDP growth (real)2026
- +5.1% per yearWorld Rank32ndof 195
- GDP per capita (PPP)2026
- GDP per capita (nominal)
- $1,030 (182nd in the world)
Source:- 2024
- Services56.8% of GDPIndustry15.3% of GDPAgriculture20.4% of GDPManufacturing1.5%part of industry
- Households
- +86.1%
- Government
- +10.2%
- Investment
- +40.4%
- Exports
- +12.7%
- Imports
- −49.4%
The shape of the economyGDP by end useSource:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Inflation2026
- 7%down 0.9 percentage points0.9pp from 2025
- Labor force2024
- 783,458 (28% of population)World Rank151stof 187
- Labor force participation2024
- 47.5% of people aged 15+
- Unemployment2024
- 6.5%
- Youth unemployment2024
- 10.8% ages 15 to 24
- Labor productivity2024
- $5.8 per hour worked at PPP
- Budget balance2026
- 0% of GDP
- Current account
- 5.9% of GDP, $179 million deficit
Source: - Debt2024
- Central government debt73.5% of GDP
- Trade2024
- Goods$363.3 million42.9%
- Services$484.5 million57.1%
- Total exports
- $847.9 million
- Change from 2023
- up 18.1 percent on the previous year18.1%
Sources:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Agricultural products2024
- Cashew nuts (in shell), Millet, Groundnuts (in shell), and 6 more
- 1Cashew nuts (in shell)273.8×
- 2Millet42.1×
- 3Groundnuts (in shell)29.5×
- 4Sorghum2.7×
- 5Oil palm fruit2.7×
- 6Raw milk of cattle2.1×
- 7Rice2.1×
- 8Cassava (fresh)1.2×
- 9Maize (corn)0.7×
ProductSource:- FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Industries
- peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
- Income level, GDP by sector, Trade:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- GDP (nominal), GDP growth (real), GDP per capita (PPP), Inflation, Budget balance:IMF World Economic Outlook ↗
- Labor force, Labor force participation, Unemployment, Youth unemployment, Labor productivity:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Debt:IMF Global Debt Database ↗
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Agricultural products:FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
Cost of Living
- Average gross salary2018
- GMD 3,988 per month$83 (USD), $268 (PPP)
- Median
- GMD 2,750 per month($57)
- Men
- GMD 4,087 per month($85)
- Women
- GMD 3,751 per month($78)
Source:- ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- 2024
- GMD 1,300 per month, gross$19 (USD), $67 (PPP)
- Average gross salary, Minimum wage:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
Society
- 2023
- 0.524LowWorld Rank170thof 193GambiaWorld
Human Development Index by year Year Gambia World 1990 0.331 0.608 1991 0.339 0.611 1992 0.347 0.614 1993 0.355 0.617 1994 0.362 0.620 1995 0.370 0.625 1996 0.377 0.631 1997 0.381 0.636 1998 0.389 0.641 1999 0.396 0.646 2000 0.403 0.651 2001 0.410 0.657 2002 0.415 0.662 2003 0.422 0.669 2004 0.432 0.675 2005 0.436 0.681 2006 0.441 0.688 2007 0.447 0.694 2008 0.455 0.698 2009 0.459 0.701 2010 0.463 0.707 2011 0.463 0.713 2012 0.469 0.717 2013 0.474 0.721 2014 0.477 0.726 2015 0.482 0.731 2016 0.487 0.735 2017 0.493 0.739 2018 0.500 0.741 2019 0.508 0.745 2020 0.512 0.742 2021 0.513 0.742 2022 0.519 0.752 2023 0.524 0.756 Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- 2020
- 38.8
- Mean years of schooling2023
- 4.7 years
- Expected for a child today
- 9 years
Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Literacy2021
- 51.6% of adults
- Education expenditure2023
- 2.8% of GDP
- Share of government spending
- 18.7%
Source:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Internet users2024
- 49.5% of the population
- Households with Internet access
- 49.1%
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Mobile subscriptions2024
- 3.5 million
- Fixed telephone lines
- 44,127
- Fixed broadband
- 0.5 subscriptions per 100 people
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership2024
- 2% of adults
- Debit-card ownership
- 10%
- Account at a bank or mobile-money provider
- 38%
- Mobile-money account
- 19%
- Made or received a digital payment
- 28%
Source:- Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted2025
- 4,063 people
- Asylum seekers
- 489
- Internally displaced persons
- 250All due to disasters
- Refugees from Gambia abroad
- 7,960
Sources:- Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists2022
- Official tourism site570,000 arrivalsdown 8% against 20198% below 2019World Rank98thof 139
- Per resident
- 2.2 arrivals per 10 residents
- $447.5 million(2024)
- $11.4 million(2024)
- Hotel beds
- 8,257
Overnight arrivals by year2010 to 2022A tourist stays at least one night. Arrivals count trips, not people.
Source:- UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 2 sites2 cultural
Site Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites Stone Circles of Senegambia Source:- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Human Development Index, Mean years of schooling:Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Income inequality (Gini), Education expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Literacy:UIS Data Browser ↗ - UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership:Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted:Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Refugees hosted:Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists:UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
Crime & Safety
- Travel advisory (US)
- Loading
- Active humanitarian crisisAug 2026
- None - no active crisis
- Prison population2021
- 21.1 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 543
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Active humanitarian crisis:INFORM Severity Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 66.5 years
- Health expenditure2023
- 2.9% of GDP$26 per person
- Physicians2023
- 0.09 per 1,000 population
- Hospital beds2023
- 1.1 per 1,000 population
- Infant mortality2026
- 27.8 per 1,000 live births
- Maternal mortality2023
- 354 per 100,000 live births
- Alcohol consumption2022
- 0.6 litres of pure alcohol per adult per year
- Tobacco use2020
- 12.2% of adults
- Men
- 23.4%
- Women
- 1%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Road traffic deaths2019
- 29.6 per 100,000 population
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Health expenditure, Physicians, Hospital beds, Road traffic deaths:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Maternal mortality:Maternal mortality estimates ↗ - UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group
- Alcohol consumption, Tobacco use:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 0.49 Mt per yearup 3.9 percent on the previous year3.9% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 0.2 t per personWorld Rank192ndof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- < 0.01%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 1.15 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 0.22 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 1.86 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 15 µg/m³ of PM2.51 years of life expectancy lost against the WHO guidelineMost polluted93rdof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture
- desertification
- water pollution
- water-borne diseases
Source:- The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- International agreements
- 20 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 69 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement in force 2016 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in force 1994 Kyoto Protocol in force 2005 Ozone layer Montreal Protocol in force 1990 Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) in force 1990 Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity in force 1994 CITES in force 1977 Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) in force 2001 Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in force 2004 Nagoya Protocol in force 2014 Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in force 1997 World Heritage Convention in force 1987 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in force 1996 Chemicals and waste Basel Convention in force 1998 Rotterdam Convention (PIC) in force 2004 Stockholm Convention (POPs) in force 2006 Minamata Convention on Mercury in force 2017 Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in force 1994 High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) in force 2026 MARPOL 73/78 in force 1992 Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- No access to safe drinking water2022
- 9.8% of the population
- Renewable water2022
- 8 billion m³ per year
- Per person
- 3,034 m³ per year
- Dependency ratio
- 63% originates outside the country
- Annual water withdrawal
- 0.1 billion m³ per year
- Withdrawn for agriculture
- 39%
- Water stress
- 2% of available freshwater withdrawn
Source:- AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment2022
- 19.3% of the population500,000 people
- Obesity2024
- 12.4% of adults
- Men
- 5.4%
- Women
- 19%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children2020
- 11.6% of children under five
- No access to safe drinking water, Renewable water:AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment:Food security indicators (FAOSTAT) ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 3 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- < 0.01%
- Supply
- No meaningful productionproduces under 2% of what it consumes, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- No electricity trade0.5 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 0.5 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 0.4 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- No domestic productionconsumes 3,640 b/d in 2024Consumption20243,640 b/d
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
Defense
- Military expenditure2024
- 0.6% of GDP$14.4 million, 2.5% of government spending
- Military personnel2025
- estimated 3,000–4,000active Gambian Armed Forces
- Military service2025
- 18–28men and women, depending on enlisted, officer, or specialized positions
- Nuclear weapons2026
- None - no nuclear arsenal
- Military expenditure:SIPRI Military Expenditure Database ↗ - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Military expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Military personnel, Military service:The World Factbook: Gambia - CIA
- Nuclear weapons:Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists
