Geography:
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geography coordinates: 13 28 N, 1634 W
Map references: Africa
Area:
Total: 11,300 sq km
Land: 10,000 sq km
Water: 1,300 sq km
Land boundaries: total: 740 km
Maritime claims:
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguqus zone: 18 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: extend not specified
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
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic ocean 0 m
Highest point: unnamed location 53 m
Natural resources: fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum
Land use: Arable land: 27.88%
Permanent crops: 0.44%
Other: 71.68%(2005)
Irrigated Land: 20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources: 8 cu km (1982)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/ agricultural):
Total: 0.03 cu m/yr (23%/12%/65%)
Per Capita: 20 cu m/yr (2000)
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Business:
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity ): $2.044 billion (2008 est.)
GDP – real growth rate: 4.5%(2008 est.)
GDP – per capita(ppp): $1,200(2008 est.)
GDP – Composition by sector:
Agricalture: 33%
Industry: 8.7%
Services: 58.3%(2008 est.)
Exports: $111 million f.o.b (2008 est.)
Exports – commodities: peanut products, fish, cotton, lint, palm kernels, re-exports
Exports – partners: India 37.7%, China 17.5%, Uk 8.7%, France 5.1%, Belgium 4.2%(2007)
Imports: $301 million f.o.b (2008 est.)
Imports – commodities: foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Imports – Partners: China 23.7%, Senegal 11.5%
Reserves – of foregin Exchange and gold: $144 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt – external: $ 628.8 million (2003 est.)
Exchange rates: Dalasis (GMD) per US dollar 22.75 (2008 est.), 27.79 (2007), 28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004)
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People:
Population: 1,735,464 (July 2008 estimate)
Age Structure:
0-14 years:43.9% (Male 382, 385/female 378, 853)
15-64 years: 53.4%( male 459, 315/female 466, 689) 65 years and over: 2.8%( male 24,300/ female 23,919)
(2008 est.)
Total: 17.9 years
Male: 17.7 Years
Female: 18 years ( 2008 est.)
Population Growth Rate: 2.724%(2008 est.)
Birth rate: 38.36 birth/1000 Population (2008 est.)
Death rate: 1.74 birth/1000 Population (2008 est.)
Ethnic groups: African 99% ( mandinika 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, Other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census)
Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, Indigenous beliefs 2%
Languages: English(official) , Mandinika, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
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Transportation:
Airports: 1 (2007)
Airports – with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047m: 1 (2007)
Airports – with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047m: 1 (2007)
Waterways: 390 km (on river Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km) (2008)
Ports and terminals: Banjul
Agricultural Products:
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),palm kernels, cattle, sheep, goats Industries: Processing peanut, fish, and hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Communication:
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Telephones – main lines in use: 76,400 (2007)
Telephones – mobile cellular: 795,900 (2007) |
| Telephone system: general assessment: adequate; a packed switched data network is available; four mobile-cellular service providers |
| Telephone system: general assessment: adequate; a packed switched data network is available; four mobile-cellular service providers |
| International: country code – 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station – 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) |
| Radio broadcast stations: |
| AM 3, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2001) |
| Television broadcast stations: |
1 (government-owned) (1997)
Internet country code: .gm |
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