01
Physical geography
Flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills.
Local timeBanjul ·
Africa / Western Africa · Card 021
Gambia
Gambia is a country in Western Africa. Its capital is Banjul.
Find Gambia
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Banjul
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- dalasi (GMD)
- Population
- 2.8 million2025 · World Bank
- Area
- 10,689 km²4,127 square miles
- Independence
- 1965from the UK
Gambia in context
Africa and its surrounding islands. The dot marks Banjul; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
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Languages
Languages used in public life include English.
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Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal.
Flag
Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green
History & independence
The Gambia became independent from Britain on 18 February 1965 following constitutional negotiations. It became a republic in 1970. A change of government in 2017 followed the presidential election of December 2016.
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Independence from Britain
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The Gambia becomes a republic
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Power changes hands after the 2016 election
Economy
Main activities
Agriculture, trade, tourism and remittances are important sources of income. Groundnuts are a traditional cash crop. The small domestic market and reliance on imports make regional and international links important.
Industry and production
peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Millions of people2.82025 · millions of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Millions of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 524,105 | 0.524 |
| 1980 | 713,913 | 0.714 |
| 1990 | 1,054,696 | 1.055 |
| 2000 | 1,455,084 | 1.455 |
| 2010 | 1,926,630 | 1.927 |
| 2020 | 2,515,733 | 2.516 |
| 2025 | 2,822,093 | 2.822 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars2.22025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 694,740,031 | 0.695 |
| 1991 | 716,325,877 | 0.716 |
| 1992 | 740,528,299 | 0.741 |
| 1993 | 762,833,762 | 0.763 |
| 1994 | 764,011,165 | 0.764 |
| 1995 | 770,748,584 | 0.771 |
| 1996 | 787,886,530 | 0.788 |
| 1997 | 826,492,963 | 0.826 |
| 1998 | 855,420,206 | 0.855 |
| 1999 | 910,167,091 | 0.910 |
| 2000 | 960,226,283 | 0.960 |
| 2001 | 1,015,919,410 | 1.016 |
| 2002 | 982,902,028 | 0.983 |
| 2003 | 1,050,427,393 | 1.050 |
| 2004 | 1,124,482,525 | 1.124 |
| 2005 | 1,098,037,739 | 1.098 |
| 2006 | 1,091,937,250 | 1.092 |
| 2007 | 1,125,167,625 | 1.125 |
| 2008 | 1,195,557,049 | 1.196 |
| 2009 | 1,275,249,586 | 1.275 |
| 2010 | 1,350,595,614 | 1.351 |
| 2011 | 1,240,786,190 | 1.241 |
| 2012 | 1,305,822,858 | 1.306 |
| 2013 | 1,343,336,129 | 1.343 |
| 2014 | 1,324,430,252 | 1.324 |
| 2015 | 1,378,176,609 | 1.378 |
| 2016 | 1,404,959,537 | 1.405 |
| 2017 | 1,472,715,274 | 1.473 |
| 2018 | 1,579,264,609 | 1.579 |
| 2019 | 1,677,527,292 | 1.678 |
| 2020 | 1,687,449,653 | 1.687 |
| 2021 | 1,776,141,480 | 1.776 |
| 2022 | 1,873,704,900 | 1.874 |
| 2023 | 1,984,568,192 | 1.985 |
| 2024 | 2,094,736,746 | 2.095 |
| 2025 | 2,218,181,511 | 2.218 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.524Low human developmentRank 170 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.331
20000.403
20100.463
20200.512
20230.524
65.9 yearsLife expectancy at birth
4.7 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Presidential republic. National Assembly has one chamber (a unicameral legislature). The president holds executive responsibilities; the legislature makes national laws.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Gambia.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which crop is identified as a traditional cash crop in Gambia?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived country profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.