Natural hazards: rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years
Environment-current issues: deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent
Environment-international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography-note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa
@Gambia, The:People
Population: 1,291,858 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 296,108; female 295,136) 15-64 years: 52% (male 330,215; female 336,056) 65 years and over: 2% (male 18,194; female 16,149) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.42% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 43.3 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 12.93 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)