_#_Religion: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

_#_Language: English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

_#_Literacy: 27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 400,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%; 55% population of working age (1983)

_#_Organized labor: 25-30% of wage labor force

_*Government #_Long-form name: Republic of The Gambia

_#_Type: republic

_#_Capital: Banjul

_#_Administrative divisions: 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, North Bank, Upper River, Western

_#_Independence: 18 February 1965 (from UK); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989