What is the population of Gambia in 2025?

Gambia has a population of 2.82 million (2,822,093) according to World Bank, World Development Indicators data for 2025.

What is the capital of Gambia?

The capital of Gambia is Banjul.

How large is the economy of Gambia?

Gambia's GDP is $2.59B (2025, World Bank, World Development Indicators), which is $919 per capita.

Head of state: Adama Barrow (since January 21, 2017). Source: Wikidata, checked August 11, 2026.

Gambia

Republic of the Gambia

Updated August 11, 2026

Population

2.82 million

2025 · World Bank

GDP

$2.59B

2025 · World Bank

GDP per capita

$919

2025 · World Bank

Area

10,689 km²

mledoze/countries reference dataset

Capital

Banjul

Median age

18.6 yrs

2025 · UN WPP

CIA World Factbook map of Gambia, showing major cities, rivers and neighbouring countries — Map from The World Factbook, final edition. Public domain (17 U.S.C. § 105); boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative.

Capital: Banjul
Region: Africa
Subregion: Western Africa
Area: 10,689 km²
Neighbours: 1
Languages: English

#142 of 238 in population #186 of 222 in GDP #168 of 252 in area #200 of 213 in GDP per capita #197 of 228 in life expectancy

Leadership

Head of state: Adama Barrow; In office since January 21, 2017

Wikidata (CC0), checked August 11, 2026. Frozen Factbook mirrors still list the officeholders of January 2026.

Then and now

The CIA World Factbook stopped updating in January 2026. This is what has changed since its final edition.

Final CIA World Factbook figures of January 2026 versus current data for Gambia
Indicator	Factbook, final edition	Current	Change
Population	2,523,3272024	2,822,0932025	+11.8%
GDP (nominal)	$2.51B2024	$2.59B2025	+3.4%

Trends since 2000

Population +94% since 2000

1.46 million (2000) 2.82 million (2025)

GDP +231% since 2000

$782.91M (2000) $2.59B (2025)

GDP per capita +71% since 2000

$538 (2000) $919 (2025)

Inflation +1268% since 2000

0.8% (2000) 11.6% (2024)

World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).

6 facts about Gambia

01 Gambia ranks 142 of 238 in population, with 2.82 million people as of 2025.
02 Its economy produced $2.59B in 2025, or $919 per person.
03 It shares land borders with 1 neighbour: Senegal.
04 Population has grown 94% since 2000, from 1.46 million to 2.82 million.
05 Prices sit at about 25% of United States levels (World Bank PPP data, 2025).
06 49% of the population uses the internet (2024).

Reference

Languages: English
Currency: dalasi (GMD)
Calling code: +220
Internet TLD: .gm
Demonym: Gambian
ISO codes: GM · GMB · 270

Land borders

Senegal

Compare Gambia

Gambia vs Senegal

The Factbook archive 140 fields · 11 categories

The complete World Factbook entry for Gambia, The: 140 fields and 231 sub-entries across 11 categories, kept whole as historical reference. A United States Government work in the public domain, reflecting data as of the final January 2026 edition; the live figures above supersede the fast-moving numbers in it. Last CIA update: January 5, 2026.

Gambia and neighbouring land. Geometry: Natural Earth (public domain).

Introduction 1 field

Background: In the 10th century, Muslim merchants established some of The Gambia’s earliest large settlements as trans-Saharan trade hubs. These settlements eventually grew into major export centers sending slaves, gold, and ivory across the Sahara. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, European colonial powers began establishing trade with The Gambia. In 1664, the United Kingdom established a colony in The Gambia focused on exporting enslaved people across the Atlantic. During the roughly 300 years of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the UK and other European powers may have exported as many as 3 million people from The Gambia.

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Geographically surrounded by Senegal, it formed the short-lived confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. In 1994, Yahya JAMMEH led a military coup overthrowing the president and banning political activity. He subsequently won every presidential election until 2016, when he lost to Adama BARROW, who headed an opposition coalition during free and fair elections. BARROW won reelection in 2021. The Gambia is the only member of the Economic Community of West African States that does not have presidential term limits. Since the 2016 election, The Gambia and the US have enjoyed improved relations. US assistance to the country has supported democracy-strengthening activities, capacity building, economic development, and security sector education and training programs.

Geography 19 fields

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 16 34 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 11,300 sq km
land: 10,120 sq km
water: 1,180 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 749 km
border countries: Senegal 749 km
Coastline: 80 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: extent not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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: highest point: unnamed elevation 63 m; 3 km southeast of the town of Sabi
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 34 m
Natural resources: fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon
Land use: agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 22% (2023 est.)
other: 15.4% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 50 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km): Gambia river mouth (shared with Senegal and Guinea [s]) - 1,094 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major aquifers: Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Population distribution: settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards: droughts
Geography - note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the African mainland

People and Society 35 fields

Population: total: 2,523,327 (2024 est.)
male: 1,250,490
female: 1,272,837
Nationality: noun: Gambian(s)
adjective: Gambian
Ethnic groups: Mandinka/Jahanka 33.3%, Fulani/Tukulur/Lorobo 18.2%, Wolof 12.9%, Jola/Karoninka 11%, Serahuleh 7.2%, Serer 3.5%, other 4%, non-Gambian 9.9% (2019-20 est.)
Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Religions: Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127)
65 years and over: 3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 72.1 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 65.7 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 15.8 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 20.5 years (2025 est.)
male: 19.8 years
female: 20.6 years
Population growth rate: 2.09% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 26.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Urbanization: urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023)

note: includes the local government areas of Banjul and Kanifing
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 20.7 years (2019/20 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio: 354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 39.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 32.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 66.7 years
female: 70.1 years
Total fertility rate: 3.39 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 1.67 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 90.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 85.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 9.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 14.4% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 3.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 7.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density: 1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 74.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 32% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 59.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 25.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 68% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 40.6% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 10.3% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 8.6% (2025 est.)
male: 17% (2025 est.)
female: 0.5% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.6% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 63% (2020 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 5.6% (2020)
women married by age 18: 23.1% (2020)
men married by age 18: 0.2% (2020)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 14.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy: total population: 51.6% (2021 est.)
male: 65.3% (2021 est.)
female: 40.5% (2021 est.)

Environment 10 fields

Environmental issues: deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture; desertification; water pollution; water-borne diseases
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
Land use: agricultural land: 62.6% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 43.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)
forest: 22% (2023 est.)
other: 15.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 64.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 537,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 34.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 193,400 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 13% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 41.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 21.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 39.2 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Government 23 fields

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form: The Gambia
etymology: named for the Gambia River that flows through the country; Portuguese explorers in the 15th century derived the name for the river from its local name, Ba-Dimma, meaning "the river"
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Banjul
geographic coordinates: 13 27 N, 16 34 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name derives from a misunderstanding between Portuguese colonists and inhabitants in the 15th century; when asked what the area was called, the inhabitants thought they were being asked what they were doing and replied, "bangjulo," or "rope making"
Administrative divisions: 5 regions, 1 city*, and 1 municipality**; Banjul*, Central River, Kanifing**, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, West Coast
Legal system: mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law
Constitution: history: previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997
amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the Assembly membership in each of several readings and approval by the president of the republic; a referendum is required for amendments affecting national sovereignty, fundamental rights and freedoms, government structures and authorities, taxation, and public funding; passage by referendum requires participation of at least 50% of eligible voters and approval by at least 75% of votes cast
International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes
citizenship by descent only: yes
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022)
head of government: Vice President Mohammed JALLOW (since 23 February 2024)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); vice president appointed by the president
most recent election date: 4 December 2021
election results:
2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (NPP) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (UDP) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 12.3%, other 6.8%

2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1%
expected date of next election: 2026
Legislative branch: legislature name: National Assembly
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 58 (53 directly elected; 5 appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 4/9/2022
parties elected and seats per party: National People's Party (NPP) (18); United Democratic Party (UDP) (15); National Reconciliation Party (NRP) (4); Independents (12); Other (4)
percentage of women in chamber: 8.6%
expected date of next election: April 2027
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of The Gambia (consists of the chief justice and 6 justices; court sessions held with 5 justices)
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president after consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, a 6-member independent body of high-level judicial officials, a presidential appointee, and a National Assembly appointee; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 75
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Special Criminal Court; Khadis or Muslim courts; district tribunals; magistrates courts; cadi courts
Political parties: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC
Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC
Gambia Moral Congress or GMC
National People's Party or NPP
People's Progressive Party or PPP
United Democratic Party or UDP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Momodou Lamin BAH (12 December 2022)
chancery: 5630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Eugene S. YOUNG (since 14 October 2025)
embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, P.M.B. 19, Banjul
mailing address: 2070 Banjul Place, Washington DC 20521-2070
telephone: [220] 439-2856
FAX: [220] 439-2475
email address and website:
[email protected]

https://gm.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence: 18 February 1965 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Flag: description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green

meaning: red stands for the sun and the savannah, blue for the Gambia River, and green for forests and agriculture; the white stripes denote unity and peace
National symbol(s): lion
National color(s): red, blue, green, white
National anthem(s): title: "For The Gambia, Our Homeland"
lyrics/music: Virginia Julie HOWE/adapted by Jeremy Frederick HOWE
history: adopted 1965; the music is an adaptation of the traditional Mandinka song "Foday Kaba Dumbuya"
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites; Stone Circles of Senegambia

Economy 30 fields

Economic overview: low-income West African economy; agriculture-dominant; high poverty rate; heightened inflation; dependent on foreign assistance and remittances; structural reforms conditioned by IMF Extended Credit Facility program
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $8.365 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $7.911 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $7.549 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5.7% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 4.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,000 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $2,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,900 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.508 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 11.6% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 17% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 11.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 24.1% (2024 est.)
industry: 14.7% (2024 est.)
services: 53.9% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 83.2% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 8.5% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 39% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 6.6% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.2% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: rice, groundnuts, milk, millet, oil palm fruit, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruits, sorghum (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries: peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Industrial production growth rate: 2.4% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Labor force: 783,100 (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 6.5% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 6.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 6.1% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 10.9% (2024 est.)
male: 10.9% (2024 est.)
female: 10.9% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line: 53.4% (2020 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020: 38.8 (2020 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% (2020 est.)
highest 10%: 30.5% (2020 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2024: 21.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Remittances 2023: 21.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 22.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget: revenues: $308.887 million (2018 est.)
expenditures: $221.137 million (2018 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2016: 82.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: -$74.374 million (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$120.064 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$90.251 million (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $838.409 million (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $717.774 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $267.377 million (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Kazakhstan 92%, Guinea-Bissau 2%, China 1%, India 1%, Greece 1% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities: packaged medicine, cars, harvesting machinery, refined petroleum, trailers (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports: Imports 2024: $1.549 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $1.353 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $829.516 million (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Kazakhstan 26%, China 18%, Senegal 8%, India 7%, Brazil 4% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cotton fabric, iron alloys, rice (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $577.028 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $568.244 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $652.671 million (2021 est.)
Debt - external: Debt - external 2023: $902.421 million (2023 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: dalasis (GMD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2023: 61.096 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 54.923 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 51.484 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 51.502 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2019: 50.062 (2019 est.)

Energy 5 fields

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 65.4% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 82.8%
electrification - rural areas: 31.2%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 162,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 410.824 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 104.176 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 2.731 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications 6 fields

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 60,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 2.68 million (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2021 est.)
Broadcast media: 1 state-run TV-channel; one privately owned TV station; 1 online TV station; 3 state-owned and 31 privately owned radio stations; 8 community radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available; cable and satellite TV subscription services in some parts of the country (2019)
Internet country code: .gm
Internet users: percent of population: 46% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 6,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Transportation 4 fields

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: C5
Airports: 1 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 15 (2023)
by type: general cargo 5, other 10
Ports: total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 0
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Banjul

Military and Security 6 fields

Military and security forces: Gambian Armed Forces (GAF; aka Armed Forces of the Gambia): the Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambia Navy, Gambia Air Force, Republican National Guard (RNG)

Ministry of Interior: Gambia Police Force (GPF) (2025)

note: the RNG is responsible for VIP protection, riot control, and presidential security, while the GPF maintains internal security
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024: 0.6% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: estimated 3,000-4,000 active Gambian Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military of Gambia has a limited inventory of mostly older, obsolescent, or donated equipment originating from several suppliers, including Taiwan, Turkey, the UK, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-28 years of age for men and women depending on enlisted, officer, or specialized positions (2025)
Military - note: the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF) are responsible for external defense and aiding civil authorities in internal emergencies and natural disaster relief; they participate in multinational peacekeeping missions, as well as domestic support activities such as agricultural development, construction, education, and health services; the Gambian security forces have a history of involvement in domestic politics, including multiple coup attempts and mutinies, with the latest being an attempted coup in 2022

since January 2017, several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have provided security forces for Gambia's stability, plus assistance and training for the GAF and other Gambian security forces through the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG); as of 2025, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal were providing military and gendarmerie personnel for ECOMIG (2025)

Transnational Issues 1 field

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 4,411 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 7,462 (2024 est.)

Frequently asked

What is the population of Gambia in 2025?: Gambia has a population of 2.82 million (2,822,093) according to World Bank, World Development Indicators data for 2025.
What is the capital of Gambia?: The capital of Gambia is Banjul.
How large is the economy of Gambia?: Gambia's GDP is $2.59B (2025, World Bank, World Development Indicators), which is $919 per capita.
Who leads Gambia?: Head of state: Adama Barrow (since January 21, 2017). Source: Wikidata, checked August 11, 2026.

Location

Leadership

Then and now

Trends since 2000

6 facts about Gambia

Reference

Compare Gambia

The Factbook archive 140 fields · 11 categories

Introduction 1 field

Geography 19 fields

People and Society 35 fields

Environment 10 fields

Government 23 fields

Economy 30 fields

Energy 5 fields

Communications 6 fields

Transportation 4 fields

Military and Security 6 fields

Transnational Issues 1 field

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