The Gambia : Ask Biography

General information

Common name

the Gambia

Motto

"Progress, Peace, Prosperity"

Anthem

For The Gambia Our Homeland

Capital

Banjul

Largest city

Serekunda

Official languages

English

National languages

Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, Serer, Jola

Demonym

Gambian

Government

Government

Presidential republic

President

Yahya Jammeh

Vice President

Isatou Njie-Saidy

Independence

Independence

from the United Kingdom

18 February 1965

Republic declared

24 April 1970

Geography

Total Area

4007 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

Gini

50.2 (1998) (high)

HDI

(-) 0.456 (2007) (low) (168th)

Currency

Dalasi (GMD)

Time zone

GMT (UTC)

Drives on the

right

Internet TLD

.gm

Calling code

220

Home | Country | The Gambia

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.