bynational referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997
Legal system:
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and
customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice
President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
- the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote,
five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held February 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC - the ruling party [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA] note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785–1379
FAX: [1] (202) 785–1430
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971 FAX: [220] 392475
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,
and green
Economy Gambia, The
Economy - overview:
The Gambia has no significant mineral or natural resource deposits
and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population
depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale
manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and
hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of
economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment
inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency)
have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The
government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta
eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the
following two marketing seasons saw substantially lower prices and
sales. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key
parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that
the government intends to follow through on its promises.
Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high;
short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and
multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on
continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors,
and on expected growth in the construction sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.799 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
6% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26.8% industry: 14.5% services: 58.7% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
400,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%
Unemployment rate:
NA (2002 est.)
Population
