About the CBI

September 2005
Background Note: The Gambia

The flag of The Gambia is three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue
with white edges, and green.

PROFILE

OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of The Gambia

Geography
Area: 11,300 sq. km. (4,361 sq. mi.); about the size of Maryland.
Cities: Capital--Banjul (pop. 34,828 excluding suburbs (2003 census
provisional).
Terrain: Flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by low hills.
Climate: Tropical; hot rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season
(November to May).

People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Gambian(s).
Population (2003 census): 1.36 million.
Annual growth rate (2001 - 2003): 2.77%.
Ethnic groups (1993 census): Mandinka 39.5%, Fula 18.8%, Wolof 14.6%, Jola
10.6%, Serahule 8.9%, Serere 7.8%, Krio/Aku Marabout 1.8%, Manjago 0.8%,
Bambara 0.7%, other Gambians 1.2%, no declaration 0.3%.
Non-Gambians 12.9% of the population.
Religions: Muslim 95%, Christian 4%, animists 0.08%.
Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, Jola, other indigenous
languages.
Education: Years compulsory--none. Attendance--69% primary, 35% secondary.
Adult literacy--37.8%.
Health: Life expectancy--54.1 yrs. Infant mortality rate (2001)--91/1,000.
Access to safe drinking water--urban 80%, rural 53%.
Work force (400,000): Agriculture--70%; industry, commerce, services--24%;
government--6%.

Government
Type: Civilian.
Independence: February 18, 1965.
Constitution: January 16, 1997.
Branches: National Assembly; Executive; Judiciary.
Subdivisions: Capital and five divisions.
Political parties: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction
(APRC), United Democratic Party (UDP), National Reconciliation Party (NRP),
National Convention Party (NCP), Peoples Democratic Organization for
Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), National Democratic Action Movement
(NDAM), and the Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress.

Economy
GDP (2002): $360 million.
Annual growth rate: (2002) 3%.
Per capita income (2002): $330.
Natural resources: Seismic studies indicate the possible presence of oil and
gas offshore.
Agriculture (29% of GDP): Products--peanuts, rice, millet, sorghum, fish,
palm kernels, vegetables, livestock, forestry.
Industry (12% of GDP): Types--peanut products, construction,
telecommunications, brewing, soft drinks, agricultural machinery assembly,
woodworking, metal working, clothing.
Trade: (2000 est.): Exports--$12.03 million, including re-exports, groundnut
and groundnut products (37%), fish and fish products (7%), fruits and
vegetables (26%). Major markets--U.K., other EU countries, and Senegal.
Imports--$139.3 million, including textiles, readymade foodstuffs, machinery,
transportation equipment. 98% for domestic consumption, 2% for re-export.
Major suppliers--U.K.; other EU countries; China, Japan, and other Asian
countries; West African neighbors. Official Development Assistance (ODA)
received from all sources (2001): $50.9 million. U.S. economic aid received
(FY 2001): $6.2 million in food aid and assistance to democracy and human
rights programs.

PEOPLE AND HISTORY
A wide variety of ethnic groups live in The Gambia with a minimum of
intertribal friction, each preserving its own language and traditions. The
Mandinka tribe is the largest, followed by the Fula, Wolof, Jola, and
Serahule. Approximately 3,500 non-Africans live in The Gambia, including
Europeans and families of Lebanese origin.

Muslims constitute more than 95% of the population. Christians of different
denominations account for most of the remainder. Gambians officially observe
the holidays of both religions and practice religious tolerance.

More than 63% of Gambians live in rural villages (1993 census), although more
and more young people come to the capital in search of work and education.
Provisional figures from the 2003 census show that the gap between the urban
and rural populations is narrowing as more areas are declared urban. While
urban migration, development projects, and modernization are bringing more
Gambians into contact with Western habits and values, the traditional
emphasis on the extended family, as well as indigenous forms of dress and
celebration, remain integral parts of everyday life.

The Gambia was once part of the Empire of Ghana and the Kingdom of the
Songhais. The first written accounts of the region come from records of Arab
traders in the 9th and 10th centuries A.D. Arab traders established the
trans-Saharan trade route for slaves, gold, and ivory. In the 15th century,
the Portuguese took over this trade using maritime routes. At that time, The
Gambia was part of the Kingdom of Mali.

In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, Antonio, Prior of Crato, sold
exclusive trade rights on The Gambia River to English merchants; this grant
was confirmed by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I. In 1618, King James I
granted a charter to a British company for trade with The Gambia and the Gold
Coast (now Ghana).

During the late 17th century and throughout the 18th, England and France
struggled continuously for political and commercial supremacy in the regions
of the Senegal and Gambia Rivers. The 1783 Treaty of Versailles gave Great
Britain possession of The Gambia, but the French retained a tiny enclave at
Albreda on the north bank of the river, which was ceded to the United Kingdom
in 1857.

As many as 3 million slaves may have been taken from the region during the
three centuries that the transatlantic slave trade operated. It is not known
how many slaves were taken by Arab traders prior to and simultaneous with the
transatlantic slave trade. Most of those taken were sold to Europeans by
other Africans; some were prisoners of intertribal wars; some were sold
because of unpaid debts, while others were kidnapped. Slaves were initially
sent to Europe to work as servants until the market for labor expanded in the
West Indies and North America in the 18th century. In 1807, slave trading was
abolished throughout the British Empire, and the British tried unsuccessfully
to end the slave traffic in The Gambia. They established the military post of
Bathurst (now Banjul) in 1816. In the ensuing years, Banjul was at times
under the jurisdiction of the British governor general in Sierra Leone. In
1888, The Gambia became a separate colonial entity.

An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries, and The
Gambia became a British Crown Colony, divided for administrative purposes
into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the
protectorate (remainder of the territory). The Gambia received its own
executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward
self-government. A 1906 ordinance abolished slavery.

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. Banjul
served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for
Allied naval convoys. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight
in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the
first visit to the African Continent by an American president while in
office.

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform quickened. Following
general elections in 1962, full internal self-government was granted in 1963.
The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965, as a constitutional
monarchy within the British Commonwealth. Shortly thereafter, the government
proposed conversion from a monarchy to a republic with an elected president
replacing the British monarch as chief of state. The proposal failed to
receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the
results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to The Gambia's
observance of secret balloting, honest elections, and civil rights and
liberties. On April 24, 1970, The Gambia became a republic following a
referendum.

Until a military coup in July 1994, The Gambia was led by President Sir Dawda
Kairaba Jawara, who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the
Jawara era was first broken by a violent, unsuccessful coup attempt in 1981.
The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, who, on two occasions, had
unsuccessfully sought election to parliament. After a week of violence which
left several hundred dead, President Jawara, in London when the attack began,
appealed to Senegal for help. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force.

In the aftermath of the attempted coup, Senegal and The Gambia signed the
1982 Treaty of Confederation. The result, the Senegambia Confederation, aimed
eventually to combine the armed forces of the two nations and to unify
economies and currencies. The Gambia withdrew from the confederation in 1989.

In July 1994, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) seized
power in a military coup d'etat, deposing the government of Sir Dawda Jawara.
Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state.

The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian
government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was
established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The transition process
included the compilation of a new electoral register, adoption of a new
constitution by referendum in August 1996, and presidential and legislative
elections in September 1996 and January 1997, respectively. Foreign observers
did not deem these elections free and fair. Retired Col. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh
was sworn into office as President of the Republic of The Gambia in November
1996. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)
in 1997 and became responsible for registration of voters and conduct of
elections and referenda. In late 2001 and early 2002, The Gambia completed a
full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which foreign
observers deemed free, fair, and transparent, albeit with some shortcomings.
President Yahya Jammeh, who was re-elected, took the oath of office again on
December 21, 2001. The APRC maintained its strong majority in the National
Assembly, particularly after the main opposition United Democratic Party
(UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.

GOVERNMENT
The 1970 constitution, which divided the government into independent
executive, legislative, and judicial branches, was suspended after the 1994
military coup. As part of the transition process, the AFPRC established the
Constitution Review Commission (CRC) through decree in March 1995. In
accordance with the timetable for the transition to a democratically elected
government, the commission drafted a new constitution for The Gambia, which
approved by referendum in August 1996. The constitution provides for a strong
presidential government, a unicameral legislature, an independent judiciary,
and the protection of human rights.

Local government in The Gambia varies. The capital city, Banjul and the much
larger Kanifing Municipality have elected town and municipal councils. Five
rural divisions exist, each with a council containing a majority of elected
members. Each council has its own treasury and is responsible for local
government services. Tribal chiefs retain traditional powers authorized by
customary law in some instances.

Principal Government Officials
President--Yahya Abdulaziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh
Vice President--Isatou Njie-Saidy
Ambassador to the United States--Dodou Bammy Jagne
UN Representative--Crispin Grey-Johnson

The Gambia maintains an embassy at 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 905,
Washington, DC 20005. Tel. (202) 785-1399. Its UN mission is located at 820
2nd Avenue, Suite 900-C, New York, NY 10017. Tel. (212) 949-6640.

DEFENSE
The Gambian national army numbers about 1,900. The army consists of infantry
battalions, the national guard, and the navy, all under the authority of the
Department of State for Defense (a ministerial portfolio held by President
Jammeh). Prior to the 1994 coup, the Gambian army received technical
assistance and training from the United States, United Kingdom, Peoples
Republic of China, Nigeria, and Turkey. With the withdrawal of most of this
aid, the army has received renewed assistance from Turkey and new assistance
from Libya and others. The Gambia allowed its military training arrangement
with Libya to expire in 2002.

Members of the Gambian military participated in ECOMOG, the West African
force deployed during the Liberian civil war beginning in 1990. Gambian
forces have subsequently participated in several other peacekeeping
operations, including, inter alia, Bosnia, Kosovo, DROC, Sierra Leone,
Eritrea, and East Timor. The Gambia contributed 150 troops to Liberia in 2003
as part of the ECOMIL contingent. In 2004, The Gambia contributed a 196-man
contingent to the U.N. Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur, Sudan.
Responsibilities for internal security and law enforcement rest with the
Gambian police under the Inspector General of Police and the Secretary of
State for the Interior.

POLITICAL CONDITIONS
Before the coup d'état in July 1994, The Gambia was one of the oldest
existing multi-party democracies in Africa. It had conducted freely contested
elections every 5 years since independence. After the military coup,
politicians from deposed President Jawara's People's Progressive Party (PPP)
and other senior government officials were banned from participating in
politics until July 2001.

The People's Progressive Party (PPP), headed by former president Jawara, had
dominated Gambian politics for nearly 30 years. After spearheading the
movement toward complete independence from Britain, the PPP was voted into
power and was never seriously challenged by any opposition party. The last
elections under the PPP regime were held in April 1992.

Following the coup in July 1994, a presidential election took place in
September 1996, in which retired Col. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh won 56% of the
vote. The legislative elections held in January 1997 were dominated by the
APRC, which captured 33 out of 45 seats. In July 2001, the ban on Jawara-era
political parties and politicians was lifted. Four registered opposition
parties participated in the October 18, 2001, presidential election, which
the incumbent, President Yahya Jammeh, won with almost 53% of the votes. The
APRC maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly in legislative
elections held in January 2002, particularly after the main opposition United
Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.

ECONOMY
The Gambia has a liberal, market-based economy characterized by traditional
subsistence agriculture, a historic reliance on groundnuts (peanuts) for
export earnings, a re-export trade built up around its ocean port, low import
duties, minimal administrative procedures, a fluctuating exchange rate with
no exchange controls, and a significant tourism industry.

Agriculture accounts for 29% of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 75%
of the labor force. Within agriculture, peanut production accounts for 6.9%
of GDP, other crops 8.3%, livestock 5.3%, fishing 1.8%, and forestry 0.5%.
Industry accounts for 12% of GDP and forestry 0.5%. Manufacturing accounts
for 5.5% of GDP. The limited amount of manufacturing is primarily
agriculturally based (e.g., peanut processing, bakeries, a brewery, and a
tannery). Other manufacturing activities include soap, soft drinks, and
clothing. Services account for 19% of GDP.

The U.K. and other EU countries constitute The Gambia's major domestic export
markets, accounting for 86% in total; followed by Asia at 14%; and the
African subregion, including Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Ghana at 8%. The
U.K. and the other EU countries--namely, Germany, France, Netherlands, and
Belgium--were the major source of imports accounting for 60% of the total
share of imports followed by Asia at 23%, and Cote d'Ivoire and other African
countries at 17%. The Gambia reports 11% of its exports going to and 14.6% of
its imports coming from the United States.

FOREIGN RELATIONS
The Gambia followed a formal policy of nonalignment throughout most of former
President Jawara's tenure. It maintained close relations with the United
Kingdom, Senegal, and other African countries. The July 1994 coup strained
The Gambia's relationship with Western powers, particularly the United
States, which suspended most non-humanitarian assistance in accordance with
Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act. Since 1995, President Jammeh has
established diplomatic relations with several additional countries, including
Libya, Taiwan and Cuba.

The Gambia plays an active role in international affairs, especially West
African and Islamic affairs, although its representation abroad is limited.
As a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), The
Gambia has played an active role in that organization's efforts to resolve
the civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone and contributed troops to the
community's ceasefire monitoring group (ECOMOG) in 1990 and (ECOMIL) in 2003.
It also has sought to mediate disputes in nearby Guinea-Bissau and the
neighboring Casamance region of Senegal.

U.S.-GAMBIAN RELATIONS
U.S. policy seeks to build improved relations with The Gambia on the basis of
historical ties, mutual respect, democratic rule, human rights, and adherence
to UN resolutions on counter-terrorism, conflict diamonds, and other forms of
trafficking. Following The Gambia's successful presidential and legislative
elections in October 2001 and January 2002, respectively, the U.S. Government
determined that a democratically elected government had assumed office and
thus lifted the sanctions it had imposed against The Gambia in accordance
with Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act as a result of the 1994 coup.
U.S. assistance supports democracy, human rights, girls' education, and the
fight against HIV/AIDS. In addition, the Peace Corps maintains a large
program with about 100 volunteers engaged in the environment, public health,
and education sectors, mainly at the village level.

Relations with the U.S. have improved significantly given the restoration of
democratically elected government in 2001-2002, greater respect for human
rights, and steadfast support of the War on Terrorism. The Gambia became
eligible for preferential trade benefits under the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (AGOA) on January 1, 2003.

Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Joseph D. Stafford
Deputy Chief of Mission--C. Patricia Alsup
Peace Corps Country Director--Dr. Diana Sloane

The U.S. Embassy in The Gambia is situated in Fajara on Kairaba Avenue,
formerly known as Pipeline Road. Tel: [220] 4392856; fax [220] 4392475). The
Peace Corps office also is on Kairaba Avenue near the embassy. (Tel. [220]
4392466). The international mailing address for the embassy is American
Embassy, PMB 19, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul, The Gambia.