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Gambia
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GAMBIA
Area: 11,295 sq km
Population: 1.5 million
Capital City: Banjul (approximate population: 50 000)
People: The Gambia is made up of several ethnic groups, including the Mandinka (the largest), the Fula, the Wolof, the Jola and the Serahuli.
Language(s): English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, and other indigenous languages are widely spoken.
Religion(s): The Gambia is predominantly Muslim, but there is a significant Christian community and indigenous beliefs are also practised.
Currency: Dalasi (GMD)
Major political parties: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC); National Reconciliation Party (NRP); People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS); United Democratic Party (UDP); the People's Progressive Party (PPP); the National Convention party (NCP); the National Democratic Action Movement (NDAM).
Government: The Gambia is a republic under multi-party democratic rule. The APRC currently holds a huge majority (45 of the 48 elected seats)
Head of State: Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh
The President is both the Head of state and Head of Government
Foreign Minister: Lamin Kaba Bajo.
Membership of international groupings/organisations: African Development Bank, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), African Union (AU), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC).
HISTORY
The Gambia became a British protectorate in 1894. It gained independence from Britain in 1965, with Dawda Jawara as Prime Minister. In 1970, The Gambia became a Republic following a referendum and Jawara was elected as President. Jawara and the People's Progressive Party dominated Gambian politics, although the country retained a multi-party system, and opposition parties were represented in the small parliament. A coup attempt in 1981 was only put down at the expense of hundreds of people being killed. In the 1980s and the early 1990s the government was increasingly unpopular, largely due to allegations of corruption.
In July 1994 26-year old Captain Yahya Jammeh overturned the 30-year rule of Sir Dawda Jawara in a bloodless coup. Jammeh's Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) ran the country by decree and all political activity was banned. What appeared to be a counter coup in January 1995 was put down and its ringleaders, who were former close allies of Jammeh, were imprisoned.
GEOGRAPHY
The Gambia is a small country in Western Africa. Apart from a small Atlantic seaboard, it is entirely surrounded by Senegal. The geography of the country is dominated by the Gambia river basin and floodplain, beyond which lies savannah and low hills. The climate is tropical with a hot rainy season (June to November) and a cooler dry season (November to May).Politics
Jammeh's initial 4-year programme for return to civilian rule was widely condemned at home and abroad. A controversial consultation process eventually produced a constitution, which was approved by referendum in August 1996, allowing for multiparty elections, and a Presidential term of 5 years with no limit on the number of terms served. However, the main political parties were banned in the run up to elections. Having denied his desire to stand until late in the day, Jammeh won the presidential elections of September 1996 with 56% of the vote, and his newly formed party, the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC), won 33 of the 45 parliamentary seats in January 1997.
Despite the elected government, political stability remained fragile. Few senior ministers retained their posts for long, rumours of coups regularly circulated in the country and the independent media and opposition were regularly harassed for allegedly stirring anti-government feeling. Jammeh made effective use of government media and funds to ensure victory in the October 2001 presidential elections, with 53% of the vote in the second round against 33% for Ousainou Darboe. In National Assembly elections in January 2002, Jammeh's APRC party won a huge majority – 40 of the 43 elected seats (the other 5 seats of the 48 seat house being nominated by the President), largely owing to a boycott by the opposition due to allegations of malpractice over the electoral register.
In April 2006 the regime was shaken by a coup attempt, following which 27 people were arrested and the former chief of staff of the army disappeared, having been accused by Jammeh of being behind the coup. Preparations for elections were controversial and the independence of the Independent Electoral Commission was seriously compromised by the dismissal of its last 3 Chairmen by the President. The opposition coalition (the National Alliance for Democracy and Development), which had undertaken to field a single candidate against Jammeh, split in February 2006. This damaged the capacity of the opposition to mount an effective challenge to Jammeh in the one-round election, which was held on 22 September 2006. In the event, 3 candidates were accepted: President Jammeh, Ousainou Darboe of the United Democratic Party and Halifah Salah of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development. President Jammeh won the elections on September 22 with 66% of the vote to Darboe’s 27%. The vote was considered by observers to have been free and fair on the day, although the Commonwealth Secretariat noted 'abuses of incumbency' in the lead up to the polls. Legislative elections were held on 27 January 2007. The ruling APRC confirmed its overwhelming dominance of the political scene, winning 37 of the 43 elected seats, but the voter turn out was low at 41%.
ECONOMYGDP - real growth rate: 6.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita: US\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$278 (2003)
Inflation: 3.2% (2005 est.)
Main industries and exports: Agriculture (especially groundnuts), re-export, tourism.
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 51 Gambian Dalasi.
The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depend on crops and livestock. Their livelihood is highly dependent on rainfall. Small-scale manufacturing activity includes the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Re-export trade to neighbouring countries makes a significant contribution to the economy, but is dependent on fluctuating relations with Senegal. Tourism, and associated construction industry, are a mainstay of the economy. They have recently recovered from problems linked to security in the 1999-2000 period.
The Gambia currently has a Staff Monitored Programme with the IMF, as part of a Medium Term Economic Framework Plan. The IMF has reported some modest progress on fiscal balance and some improvements in financial management, but has noted continued problems related to low capacity and high turnover of government staff.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSThe Gambia maintains generally good relations with other African countries. In June 2006 the Gambia successfully hosted the summit of the African Union. Jammeh has mediated both in the peace process in Guinea-Bissau between 1998 and 2000 and in the peace process in the Casamance region of Senegal (see Senegal Country profile). However relations with Senegal in recent years have been difficult due to trade and transport issues. Relations further worsened when Jammeh accused Senegal of habouring those behind the coup attempt of April 2006.
The Gambia is a member of the Commonwealth. In 2000 the Gambia was referred to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group over concerns that the country was not respecting the political and human rights values of the organisation. In 2005 the Commonwealth appointed a representative, the Nigerian retired general and former President Abubakar, as special envoy in the run up to the elections. Under Jammeh the Gambia has developed links with many countries in the Islamic world, including Libya who offered political support in the 1990s. Ties have been developed more more recently with Iran and Venezuala, who have offered financial support. The Islamic development bank and OPEC have offered financial support, for example in road building projects.
TRADE AND INVESTMENTTrade and Investment with the UKTrade with the UK is strong, and the UK is consistently among the Gambia's top 2 or 3 trading partners. UK exports in goods to the Gambia in 2006 amounted to £14.0 million, down from £16.47 million the previous year. Trade in goods in the opposite direction was valued at £3.5 million, up from £3.3 million the previous year.
DevelopmentThe Gambia suffers from widespread poverty. Life expectancy at birth is 55 years, but that figure has improved markedly in the last 2 decades. Unemployment is high in urban areas, and in rural areas the fragile agricultural sector is highly dependent on the weather. The country ranks 155 out of 177 in the UNDP's human development index. Child school enrolment is relatively high for comparable countries, as is adult literacy rate at 62% (according to UN estimates). The UNDP and ILO, in collaboration with the government, are engaged in a 3-year programme - the Fight Against Social and Economic Exclusion - which aims to empower communities, especially women, to create sustainable livelihoods.
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