|
General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
10,000 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
740 km |
|
Coastline: |
80 km |
|
Capital: |
Banjul |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Serekunda,
Brikama |
|
Official
Language: |
English |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Dalasi (GMD) |
|
National Day: |
February 18 |
Location and
Geography
Named after the
river Gambia, which
flows through its
length from East to
West, Gambia is a
relatively small
country in West
Africa. It is
situated on the
Atlantic Coast at
the Bulge of West
Africa and is in the
Savannah Region. It
is a semi-enclave in
Senegal. It has
borders with Senegal
in three directions
and the Atlantic
shore lies to the
West. The river
Gambia is the
dominating feature
and provides a
useful means of
transportation and
irrigation. It is
also a rich source
for fishing. The
coast and riverbanks
consist largely of
mangrove swamps and
the lower part of
the river has steep
banks which are
covered with
tropical forest.
Away from the river,
there is wooded
grassland. The
weather is
subtropical with
distinct dry and
rainy seasons.
Demography
|
Population:
|
1.41 million
(2002) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
37 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
14 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
91 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 52 years,
Female: 55 years
(2002) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
32.0 percent
(2002) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
37.80 percent
(2001) |
Economy
Gambia’s economy
depends mostly on
the cultivation and
export of groundnuts
in the form of nuts,
oil and cattle cake.
Forestry and
fisheries remain the
dominant
sub-sectors,
providing employment
for most of the
population. There
are some small-scale
manufacturing
activities engaged
in the processing of
peanuts, fish and
hides. Tourism,
groundnut processing
and oil milling
activities are also
worth mentioning.
There has been
investment in shrimp
farming and poultry
in recent years.
Shoes, cement and
bricks, metal works,
soap and plastics
are among the other
manufactured goods
that contribute to
the economy.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
337 million US$
(2001) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
246 US$ (2001) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
26.0%
Agriculture,
14.0% Industry,
60.0% Services,
(2002) |
|
Total Exports:
|
29 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
409 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Peanuts and
peanut products,
fish and fish
preparation,
fruits and
vegetables, hide
and skin and
cotton |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Foodstuffs,
manufactured
goods, raw
materials and
machinery |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
UK, China,
France, Italy
and Brazil
|
|
