233 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
233 lines
19 KiB
Plaintext
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THE GAMBIA
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 11,300 km2; land area: 10,000 km2
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Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
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Land boundary: 740 km with Senegal
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Coastline: 80 km
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Maritime claims:
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Contiguous zone: 18 nm;
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Continental shelf: not specific;
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Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 12 nm
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Disputes: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
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Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
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dry season (November to May)
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Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
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Natural resources: fish
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Land use: arable land 16%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
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9%; forest and woodland 20%; other 55%; includes irrigated 3%
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Environment: deforestation
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Note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
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continent of Africa
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PEOPLE
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Population: 874,553 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)
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Birth rate: 48 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 138 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 51 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: noun--Gambian(s); adjective--Gambian
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Ethnic divisions: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%,
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Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%); non-Gambian 1%
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Religion: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
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Language: English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
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indigenous vernaculars
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Literacy: 27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can
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read and write (1990 est.)
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Labor force: 400,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 75.0%, industry,
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commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%; 55% population of
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working age (1983)
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Organized labor: 25-30% of wage labor force
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: Republic of The Gambia
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Type: republic
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Capital: Banjul
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Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower
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River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western
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Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal
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signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982)
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that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as
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Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989
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Constitution: 24 April 1970
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Legal system: based on a composite of English common law,
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Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
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with reservations
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National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
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Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet
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Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives
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Judicial branch: Supreme Court
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Leaders:
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Chief of State and Head of Government--President Alhaji Sir Dawda
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Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice President Bakary Bunja DARBO
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(since 12 May 1982)
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Political parties and leaders:
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People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. JAWARA, secretary general;
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National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff DIBBA;
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Gambian People's Party (GPP), Assan Musa CAMARA;
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United Party (UP);
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People's Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS)
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Suffrage: universal at age 21
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Elections:
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President--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to be held March 1992);
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results--Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP) 61.1%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 25.2%,
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Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 13.7%;
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House of Representatives--last held on 11 March 1987 (next to
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be held by March 1992);
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results--PPP 56.6%, NCP 27.6%, GPP 14.7%, PDOIS 1%;
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seats--(43 total, 36 elected) PPP 31, NCP 5
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Communists: no Communist party
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Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD,
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ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
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LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
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WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH; Chancery at
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Suite 720, 1030 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20005;
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telephone (202) 842-1356 or 842-1359;
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US--Ambassador Arlene RENDER; Embassy at Pipeline Road
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(Kairaba Avenue), Fajara, Banjul (mailing address is P. M. B. No. 19,
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Banjul); telephone Serrekunda 220 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971
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Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white
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edges, and green
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ECONOMY
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Overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural
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resources and has a limited agricultural base. It is one of the world's
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poorest countries with a per capita income of about $230. About 75%
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of the population is engaged in crop production and livestock raising,
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which contributes 30% to GDP. Small-scale manufacturing
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activity--processing peanuts, fish, and hides--accounts for less than
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10% of GDP. Tourism is a growing industry. The Gambia imports
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one-third of its food, all fuel, and most manufactured goods. Exports
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are concentrated on peanut products (about 75% of total value).
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GDP: $195 million, per capita $230; real growth rate 6.0% (FY90
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est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.0% (FY91)
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Unemployment rate: NA%
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Budget: revenues $79 million; expenditures $84 million,
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including capital expenditures of $21 million (FY90)
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Exports: $116 million (f.o.b., FY90);
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commodities--peanuts and peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm
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kernels;
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partners--Japan 60%, Europe 29%, Africa 5%, US 1% other 5% (1989)
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Imports: $147 million (f.o.b., FY90);
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commodities--foodstuffs, manufactures, raw materials, fuel,
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machinery and transport equipment;
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partners--Europe 57%, Asia 25%, USSR/EE 9%, US 6%, other 3%
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(1989)
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External debt: $336 million (December 1990 est.)
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Industrial production: growth rate 6.7%; accounts for 5.8%
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of GDP (FY90)
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Electricity: 29,000 kW capacity; 64 million kWh produced, 80 kWh
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per capita (1989)
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Industries: peanut processing, tourism, beverages, agricultural
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machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
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Agriculture: accounts for 30% of GDP and employs about 75% of the
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population; imports one-third of food requirements; major export crop is
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peanuts; the principal crops--millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cassava,
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palm kernels; livestock--cattle, sheep, and goats; forestry and fishing
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resources not fully exploited
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Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $93
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million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
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(1970-88), $492 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $39 million
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Currency: dalasi (plural--dalasi); 1 dalasi (D) = 100 bututs
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Exchange rates: dalasi (D) per US$1--7.610 (January 1991),
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7.883 (1990), 7.5846 (1989), 6.7086 (1988), 7.0744 (1987),
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6.9380 (1986), 3.8939 (1985)
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Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Highways: 3,083 km total; 431 km paved, 501 km gravel/laterite,
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and 2,151 km unimproved earth
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Inland waterways: 400 km
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Ports: Banjul
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Civil air: 2 major transport aircraft
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Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 2,440-3,659 m
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Telecommunications: adequate network of radio relay and wire;
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3,500 telephones; stations--3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 1 Atlantic Ocean
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INTELSAT earth station
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Branches: Army, Navy, paramilitary Gendarmerie, National Police
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Manpower availability: males 15-49, 188,393; 95,133 fit for
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military service
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Defense expenditures: $NA, 0.7% of GDP (1988)
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