STATISTICS: GAMBIA, THE

Gambia, The Official name: The Republic of the Gambia. Form of government: multiparty republic{1} with one legislative house (National Assembly ){2}. Head of state and government: President{1}. Capital: Banjul. Official language: English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 dalasi (D) = 100 butut; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = D 10.22; 1 = D 17.40. Demography Population (1998): 1,292,000. Density (1998){3}: persons per sq mi 388.5, persons per sq km 150.0. Urban-rural (1993): urban 36.7%; rural 63.3%. Sex distribution (1993): male 50.08%; female 49.92%. Age breakdown (1993): under 15, 43.8%; 15-29, 27.7%; 30-44, 15.1%; 45-59, 6.8%; 60-74, 3.5%; 75 and over, 1.4%; not stated 1.7%. Population projection: (2000) 1,381,000; (2010) 1,864,000. Doubling time: 23 years. Ethnic composition (1993): Malinke 34.1%; Fulani 16.2%; Wolof 12.6%; Dyola 9.2%; Soninke 7.7%; other 20.2%. Religious affiliation (1993): Muslim 95.0%; Christian 4.0%; traditional beliefs and other 1.0%. Major cities/urban areas (1986): Serekunda 102,600{4}; Banjul 42,326 (Greater Banjul 270,540{5}{6}); Brikama 24,300; Bakau 23,600{4}; Farafenni 10,168{7}. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 43.9 (world avg. 25.0); legitimate, n.a.; illegitimate, n.a. Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 13.3 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 30.6 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 5.8. Marriage rate per 1,000 population: n.a. Divorce rate per 1,000 population: n.a. Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 51.2 years; female 55.8 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population: n.a.; however, major infectious diseases include malaria, gastroenteritis and dysentery, pneumonia and bronchitis, measles, schistosomiasis, and whooping cough. National economy Budget (1995-96). Revenue: D 861,700,000 (tax revenue 79.9%, of which import duties and excises 31.8%, income taxes 15.8%, sales tax 7.6%; nontax revenue and grants 20.1%). Expenditures: D 877,700,000 (administrative expenses 24.9%; goods and services 17.4%; interest payments 15.8%; agriculture 11.2%; education and culture 9.2%; transportation and communications 6.9%; public services 2.2%). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): millet 61,500, peanuts (groundnuts) 46,000, paddy rice 19,600, corn (maize) 10,000, cassava 6,000, seed cotton 4,500, pulses (mostly beans) 4,000, palm oil 2,500, palm kernels 2,000; livestock (number of live animals) 323,000 cattle, 224,000 goats, 159,000 sheep; roundwood (1995) 1,220,700 cu m; fish catch (1993) 20,479, of which Atlantic Ocean 18,079, inland water 2,400. Mining and quarrying: sand and gravel are excavated for local use. Manufacturing (value of production in D '000; 1982): processed food, including peanut and palm-kernel oil 62,878; beverage 10,546; textiles 3,253; chemicals and related products 1,031; nonmetals 922; printing and publishing 358; leather 150. Construction: n.a. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 75,000,000 (75,000,000); coal, none (none); crude petroleum, none (none); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) none (75,000); natural gas, none (none). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$412,000,000. Population economically active (1992): total 412,000; activity rate of total population 47.2% (participation rates: ages 15-64, 78.2%; female 46.3%; unemployed, n.a.). Tourism (1995): receipts from visitors U.S.$23,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$16,000,000. Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1983) 8.3; income per household: n.a.; sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1991){8}: food and beverages 58.0%, clothing and footwear 17.5%, energy and water 5.4%, housing 5.1%, education, health, transportation and communications, recreation, and other 14.0%. Gross national product (at current market prices; 1996): U.S.$386,000,000 (U.S.$320 per capita). Land use (1994): forested 10.0%; meadows and pastures 19.0%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 17.2%; built-on area, wasteland, and other 53.8%. Foreign trade Imports (1995-96): D 2,062,900,000 (1993-94: basic manufactures 25.4%; food 24.7%; machinery and transport equipment 23.5%; mineral fuels and lubricants 6.0%; chemicals and related products 5.1%). Major import sources: China 24.7%; Belgium-Luxembourg 10.1%; United Kingdom 8.5%; Hong Kong 7.7%; Senegal 5.4%; Thailand 4.9%. Exports (1995-96): D 1,318,900,000 (1993-94; domestic exports 15.7%, of which groundnuts 8.5%; reexports 84.3%{9}). Major export destinations: Belgium-Luxembourg 50.4%; Japan 21.5%; Guinea 6.2%; Hong Kong 4.3%; United Kingdom 3.6%; France 2.6%; Spain 2.2%. Transport Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (1995): total length 1,483 mi, 2,640 km (paved 35%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 7,950; trucks and buses 8,240. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 11; total deadweight tonnage 2,029. Air transport (1992): passenger arrivals and departures 275,000; cargo 3,000 metric tons; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 1. Education and health Educational attainment (1973). Percentage of population age 20 and over having: no formal schooling 90.8%; primary education 6.2%; secondary 2.6%; higher 0.4%. Literacy (1995): total population age 15 and over literate 38.6%; males literate 52.8%; females literate 24.9%. Health (1990-91): physicians 61 (1 per 14,536 persons); hospital beds 601 (1 per 1,475 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1997) 79. Food (1994): daily per capita caloric intake 2,157 (vegetable products 95%, animal products 5%); 91% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 875. Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 4.8% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$13. {1} Established by new constitution effective Jan. 16, 1997. Presidential elections of September 1996 did not meet international standards. {2} Includes 4 nonelective seats. {3} Based on land area only. {4} Kombo St. Mary includes the urban areas of Serekunda and Bakau. {5} Kombo St. Mary and Banjul city make up Greater Banjul. {6} 1993. {7} 1983. {8} Low-income population in Banjul and Kombo St. Mary only; weights of consumer price index components. {9} Mostly unofficial trade with Senegal.