THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

Background: In the 10th century, Muslim merchants established some of The Gambia’s earliest large settlements as trans-Saharan trade hubs. These settlements eventually grew into major export centers sending slaves, gold, and ivory across the Sahara. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, European colonial powers began establishing trade with The Gambia. In 1664, the United Kingdom established a colony in The Gambia focused on exporting enslaved people across the Atlantic. During the roughly 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the UK and other European powers may have exported as many as 3 million people from The Gambia. The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed the short-lived confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1994, Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup overthrowing the president and banning political activity. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs.

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,120 sq km
water: 1,180 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 749 km
border countries: Senegal 749 km
Coastline: 80 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: extent not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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
Elevation: highest point: unnamed elevation 63 m; 3 km southeast of the town of Sabi
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 34 m
Natural resources: fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon
Land use: agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 22% (2023 est.)
other: 15.4% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 50 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Gambia river mouth (shared with Senegal and Guinea [s]) - 1,094 kmnote: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major aquifers: Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
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, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: droughts
Geography - note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the African mainland

Population: total: 2,523,327 (2024 est.)
male: 1,250,490
female: 1,272,837
Nationality: noun: Gambian(s)
adjective: Gambian
Ethnic groups: Mandinka/Jahanka 33.3%, Fulani/Tukulur/Lorobo 18.2%, Wolof 12.9%, Jola/Karoninka 11%, Serahuleh 7.2%, Serer 3.5%, other 4%, non-Gambian 9.9% (2019-20 est.)
Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Religions: Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127)
65 years and over: 3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 72.1 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 65.7 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 15.8 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 20.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.6 years
Population growth rate: 2.09% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 26.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
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, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.7 years (2019/20 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 39.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 66.7 years
female: 70.1 years
Total fertility rate: 3.39 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.67 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 90.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 85.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 9.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 14.4% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 3.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 7.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 74.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 32% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 59.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 25.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 68% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 40.6% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 10.3% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 8.6% (2025 est.)
male: 17% (2025 est.)
female: 0.5% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.6% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 63% (2020 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 5.6% (2020)
women married by age 18: 23.1% (2020)
men married by age 18: 0.2% (2020)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 14.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 51.6% (2021 est.)
male: 65.3% (2021 est.)
female: 40.5% (2021 est.)

Environmental issues: deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture; desertification; water pollution; water-borne diseases
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
Land use: agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 22% (2023 est.)
other: 15.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 34.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 193,400 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 41.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 39.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form: The Gambia
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"
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Banjul
geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name derives from a misunderstanding between Portuguese colonists and inhabitants in the 15th century; when asked what the area was called, the inhabitants thought they were being asked what they were doing and replied, "bangjulo," or "rope making"
Administrative divisions: 5 regions, 1 city*, and 1 municipality**; Banjul*, Central River, Kanifing**, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, West Coast
Legal system: mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law
Constitution: history: previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly membership in each of several readings and approval by the president of the republic; a referendum is required for amendments affecting national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, government structures and authorities, taxation, and public funding; passage by referendum requires participation of at least 50% of eligible voters and approval by at least 75% of votes cast
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022)
head of government: Vice President Mohammed JALLOW (since 23 February 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); vice president appointed by the president
most recent election date: 4 December 2021
election results: 2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (NPP) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (UDP) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 12.3%, other 6.8%2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1%
expected date of next election: 2026
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 58 (53 directly elected; 5 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 4/9/2022
parties elected and seats per party: National People's Party (NPP) (18); United Democratic Party (UDP) (15); National Reconciliation Party (NRP) (4); Independents (12); Other (4)
percentage of women in chamber: 8.6%
expected date of next election: April 2027
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of The Gambia (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices; court sessions held with 5 justices)
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, a 6-member independent body of high-level judicial officials, a presidential appointee, and a National Assembly appointee; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 75
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Special Criminal Court; Khadis or Muslim courts; district tribunals; magistrates courts; cadi courts
Political parties: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC Gambia Moral Congress or GMC National People's Party or NPP People's Progressive Party or PPP United Democratic Party or UDP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Momodou Lamin BAH (12 December 2022)
chancery: 5630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
email address and website: info@gambiaembassydc.ushttps://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eugene S. YOUNG (since 14 October 2025)
embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul
mailing address: 2070 Banjul Place, Washington DC 20521-2070
telephone: [220] 439-2856
FAX: [220] 439-2475
email address and website: ConsularBanjul@state.govhttps://gm.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 18 February 1965 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Flag: description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and greenmeaning: red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue for the Gambia River, and green for forests and agriculture; the white stripes denote unity and peace
National symbol(s): lion
National color(s): red, blue, green, white
National anthem(s): title: "For The Gambia, Our Homeland"
lyrics/music: Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE
history: adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song "Foday Kaba Dumbuya"
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites; Stone Circles of Senegambia

Economic overview: low-income West African economy; agriculture-dominant; high poverty rate; heightened inflation; dependent on foreign assistance and remittances; structural reforms conditioned by IMF Extended Credit Facility program
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $8.365 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $7.911 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $7.549 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5.7% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $2,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,900 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.508 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 11.6% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 17% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 11.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 24.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 14.7% (2024 est.)
services: 53.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 83.2% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 8.5% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 39% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 6.6% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, groundnuts, milk, millet, oil palm fruit, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruits, sorghum (2023)
Industries: peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 783,100 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 6.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 6.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 10.9% (2024 est.)
male: 10.9% (2024 est.)
female: 10.9% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 53.4% (2020 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020: 38.8 (2020 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% (2020 est.)
highest 10%: 30.5% (2020 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 21.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 21.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 22.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $308.887 million (2018 est.)
expenditures: $221.137 million (2018 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 82.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$74.374 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$120.064 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$90.251 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $838.409 million (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $717.774 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $267.377 million (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Kazakhstan 92%, Guinea-Bissau 2%, China 1%, India 1%, Greece 1% (2023)
Exports - commodities: packaged medicine, cars, harvesting machinery, refined petroleum, trailers (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $1.549 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.353 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $829.516 million (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Kazakhstan 26%, China 18%, Senegal 8%, India 7%, Brazil 4% (2023)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cotton fabric, iron alloys, rice (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $577.028 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $568.244 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $652.671 million (2021 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $902.421 million (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: dalasis (GMD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2023: 61.096 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 54.923 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 51.484 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 51.502 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2019: 50.062 (2019 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 65.4% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 82.8%
electrification - rural areas: 31.2%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 162,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 410.824 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 104.176 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 2.731 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 60,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 2.68 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2021 est.)
Broadcast media: 1 state-run TV-channel; one privately owned TV station; 1 online TV station; 3 state-owned and 31 privately owned radio stations; 8 community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available; cable and satellite TV subscription services in some parts of the country (2019)
Internet country code: .gm
Internet users: percent of population: 46% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 6,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: C5
Airports: 1 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 15 (2023)
by type: general cargo 5, other 10
Ports: total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Banjul

Military and security forces: Gambian Armed Forces (GAF; aka Armed Forces of the Gambia): the Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambia Navy, Gambia Air Force, Republican National Guard (RNG)Ministry of Interior: Gambia Police Force (GPF) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 3,000-4,000 active Gambian Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military of Gambia has a limited inventory of mostly older, obsolescent, or donated equipment originating from several suppliers, including Taiwan, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-28 years of age for men and women depending on enlisted, officer, or specialized positions (2025)
Military - note: the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) are responsible for external defense and aiding civil authorities in internal emergencies and natural disaster relief; they participate in multinational peacekeeping missions, as well as domestic support activities such as agricultural development, construction, education, and health services; the Gambian security forces have a history of involvement in domestic politics, including multiple coup attempts and mutinies, with the latest being an attempted coup in 2022since January 2017, several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have provided security forces for Gambia's stability, plus assistance and training for the GAF and other Gambian security forces through the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG); as of 2025, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal were providing military and gendarmerie personnel for ECOMIG (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 4,411 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 7,462 (2024 est.)

Gambia