Railroads:
649 km 1.437-meter standard-gauge single track (Transgabonese
Railroad)
Highways:
total:
7,500 km
paved:
560 km
unpaved:
crushed stone 960 km; earth 5,980 km
Inland waterways:
1,600 km perennially navigable
Pipelines:
crude oil 270 km; petroleum products 14 km
Ports:
Owendo, Port-Gentil, Libreville
Merchant marine:
2 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,562 GRT/25,330 DWT
Airports:
total:
70
usable:
59
with permanent-surface runways:
10
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
22
Telecommunications:
adequate system of cable, radio relay, tropospheric scatter links and
radiocommunication stations; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 6
AM, 6 FM, 3 (5 repeaters) TV; satellite earth stations - 3 Atlantic
Ocean INTELSAT and 12 domestic satellite
@Gabon, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard, National Gendarmerie,
National Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 270,501; fit for military service 136,995; reach
military age (20) annually 10,107 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $102 million, 3.2% of GDP (1990 est.)
@The Gambia, Geography
Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean almost completely
surrounded by Senegal
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
11,300 sq km
land area:
10,000 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries:
total 740 km, Senegal 740 km
Coastline:
80 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
18 nm
continental shelf:
not specified
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite
Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season
(November to May)
Terrain:
flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land:
16%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
9%
forest and woodland:
20%
other:
55%
Irrigated land:
120 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
natural hazards:
rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last thirty years
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change
Note:
almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of
Africa
@The Gambia, People
Population:
959,300 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.08% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
46.39 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
15.64 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
123.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
50.08 years
male:
47.83 years
female:
52.39 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.29 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Gambian(s)
adjective:
Gambian
Ethnic divisions:
African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%,
other 4%), non-Gambian 1%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
vernaculars
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
27%
male:
39%
female:
16%
Labor force:
400,000 (1986 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture 75.0%, industry, commerce, and services 18.9%, government
6.1%
note:
55% population of working age (1983)
@The Gambia, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form:
The Gambia
Digraph:
GA
Type:
republic under multiparty democratic rule
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 that called for the creation of a loose
confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was
dissolved on 30 September 1989)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Constitution:
24 April 1970
Legal system:
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customary
law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba JAWARA (since 24 April 1970); Vice
President Saihou SABALLY (since NA); election last held on 29 April
1992 (next to be held April 1997); results - Sir Dawda JAWARA (PPP)
58.5%, Sherif Mustapha DIBBA (NCP) 22.2%, Assan Musa CAMARA (GPP) 8.0%
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president from members of the House of
Representatives
Legislative branch:
unicameral
House of Representatives:
elections last held on 29 April 1992 (next to be held April 1997);
results - PPP 58.1%, seats - (43 total, 36 elected) PPP 30, NCP 6
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
People's Progressive Party (PPP), Dawda K. JAWARA, secretary general;
National Convention Party (NCP), Sheriff DIBBA; Gambian People's Party
(GPP), Hassan Musa CAMARA; United Party (UP), leader NA; People's
Democratic Organization of Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), leader
NA; People's Democratic Party (PDP), Jabel SALLAH
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ousman A. SALLAH
chancery:
Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:
(202) 785-1399, 1379, or 1425
FAX:
(202) 785-1430
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Arlene RENDER
embassy:
Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address:
P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone:
[220] 92856 or 92858, 91970, 91971
FAX:
(220) 92475
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and
green
@The Gambia, Economy