The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965.

Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989.

In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation treaty, but tensions have flared up intermittently since then. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh led a military coup in 1994 that overthrew the president and banned political activity.

A new constitution and presidential elections in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule.

Jammeh has been elected president in all subsequent elections, including most recently in late 2006.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 1,688,359 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.1% (male 373,831/female 370,397) 15-64 years: 53.2% (male 445,365/female 452,311) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 23,582/female 22,873) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 17.8 years male: 17.6 years female: 17.9 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 2.781% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 38.86 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 11.99 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.009 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.031 male(s)/female total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 70.14 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 54.54 years male: 52.68 years female: 56.46 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 5.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.2% (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,800 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: 600 (2003 est.)

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Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)

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Nationality: noun: Gambian(s) adjective: Gambian

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Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

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Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

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Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

The Gambia has no confirmed mineral or natural resource deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The Gambia's natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $3.324 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $467.6 million (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 6.5% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,000 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.5% industry: 13.9% services: 55.6% (2006 est.)

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Labor force: 400,000 (1996)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75% industry: 19% services: 6%

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Unemployment rate: NA%

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14% (2006 est.)

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Investment (gross fixed): 20.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $112.7 million expenditures: $155.1 million; including capital expenditures of $4.1 million (2006 est.)

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Agriculture - products: rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

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Industries: processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 145 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 134.9 million kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 2,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Current account balance: -$54.61 million (2006 est.)

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Exports: $130.5 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Exports - commodities: peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

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Exports - partners: Bermuda 86.2%, India 5.1%, UK 2.1% (2006)

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Imports: $212.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

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Imports - partners: China 25%, Senegal 12.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 8%, Brazil 6.2%, Netherlands 4.4% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $88.11 million (2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $628.8 million (2003 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $59.8 million (2003)

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Currency (code): dalasi (GMD)

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Exchange rates: dalasi per US dollar - 28.3 (2006), 30.38 (2005), 30.03 (2004), 27.306 (2004), 19.918 (2003), 15.687 (2002), 15.687 (2001)

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Fiscal year: calendar year