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The Gambia

The Gambia
General information
Common namethe Gambia
Motto"Progress, Peace, Prosperity"
AnthemFor The Gambia Our Homeland
CapitalBanjul
Largest citySerekunda
Official languagesEnglish
National languagesMandinka, Wolof, Fula, Serer, Jola
DemonymGambian
Government
GovernmentPresidential republic
PresidentYahya Jammeh
Vice PresidentIsatou Njie-Saidy
IndependenceIndependence
from the United Kingdom18 February 1965
Republic declared24 April 1970
Geography
Total Area4007 sq mi (10378.1 km2) (164th)
Water %11.5
Demography
Population Est.1705000 (146th)
Density (pop.)164.2/km2 (74th) (425.5/sq mi)
Economy
GDP PPP$3.494 billion (2010)
GDP (PPP) per capita$2,018
GDP (nominal)$1.067 billion (2010)
GDP (nominal) per capita$616
Other information
Gini50.2 (1998) (high)
HDI(-) 0.456 (2007) (low) (168th)
CurrencyDalasi (GMD)
Time zoneGMT (UTC)
Drives on theright
Internet TLD.gm
Calling code220

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The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia c-enaudio=En-us-Gambia.oggˈɡæmbiə, is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west.

The country is situated around the Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the country's centre and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Its area is almost 10,500 km2 with an estimated population of 1,700,000.

On 18 February 1965, Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom and joined The Commonwealth. Banjul is Gambia's capital, but the largest conurbations are Serekunda and Brikama.

Gambia shares historical roots with many other west African nations in the slave trade, which was the key factor in the placing and keeping of a colony on the Gambia River, first by the Portuguese and later by the British. Since gaining independence in 1965, Gambia has enjoyed relative political stability, with the exception of a brief period of military rule in 1994.

An agriculturally fertile country, its economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and tourism. About a third of the population lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.


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