Moving to Gambia: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

4 facts — expand for details.

Population

2,173,999

Population Growth Rate

2.29%

Urban Population

57.300000

Population in Major Urban Areas

BANJUL (capital) 506,000

8 facts — expand for details.

Age Structure

37.880000

Median Age

19.900000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

33

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

7.38

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

3.98

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

13.3%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

13.3%

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.030000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-2.34

Ethnic Groups

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Nationality Noun

Gambian(s)

6 facts — expand for details.

Literacy - total population

40.1%

Literacy - male

47.8%

Literacy - female

32.8%

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

4.1%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

9.000000

12 facts — expand for details.

Life Expectancy at Birth

56.140000

Infant Mortality Rate

67.630000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

67.630000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

360

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.11

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

1.1

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

4.4%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

Very high

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

7.9%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

94.200000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

64.000000

Underweight - percent of children under five years

15.8%

4 facts — expand for details.

Economic Overview

The government has invested in the agriculture sector because three-quarters of the population depends on the sector for its livelihood and agriculture provides for about one-third of GDP, making The Gambia largely reliant on sufficient rainfall.

The agricultural sector has untapped potential - less than half of arable land is cultivated and agricultural productivity is low.

Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of cashews, groundnuts, fish, and hides.

The Gambia's reexport trade accounts for almost 80% of goods exports and China has been its largest trade partner for both exports and imports for several years.

The Gambia has sparse natural resource deposits.

It relies heavily on remittances from workers overseas and tourist receipts.

Remittance inflows to The Gambia amount to about one-fifth of the country’s GDP.

The Gambia's location on the ocean and proximity to Europe has made it one of the most frequented tourist destinations in West Africa, boosted by private sector investments in eco-tourism and facilities.

Tourism normally brings in about 20% of GDP, but it suffered in 2014 from tourists’ fears of Ebola virus in neighboring West African countries.

Unemployment and underemployment remain high.

Economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, and on continued technical assistance from multilateral and bilateral donors.

International donors and lenders were concerned about the quality of fiscal management under the administration of former President Yahya JAMMEH, who reportedly stole hundreds of millions of dollars of the country’s funds during his 22 years in power, but anticipate significant improvements under the new administration of President Adama BARROW, who assumed power in early 2017.

As of April 2017, the IMF, the World Bank, the European Union, and the African Development Bank were all negotiating with the new government of The Gambia to provide financial support in the coming months to ease the country’s financial crisis.

The country faces a limited availability of foreign exchange, weak agricultural output, a border closure with Senegal, a slowdown in tourism, high inflation, a large fiscal deficit, and a high domestic debt burden that has crowded out private sector investment and driven interest rates to new highs.

The government has committed to taking steps to reduce the deficit, including through expenditure caps, debt consolidation, and reform of state-owned enterprises.

Industries

• Processing peanuts, fish, and hides
• tourism
• beverages
• agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking
• clothing

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,700.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

4.7%

9 facts — expand for details.

GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$5,220,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$1,700.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

4.7%

GDP - official exchange rate

$761,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 81.7% Government
• consumption: 9.6% Investment in fixed
• capital: 19.8% Investment in
• inventories: 0% Exports of goods and
• services: 34.7% Imports of goods and
• services: -45.8%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

19.9%

GDP by Sector- Industry

13.2%

GDP by Sector- services

66.9%

Industrial Growth Rate

8.9%

5 facts — expand for details.

Inflation Rate

5.5%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

Dalasi

Currency Name and Code

Dalasi (GMD)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

30.5%

4 facts — expand for details.

Labor Force

777,100

Major Industries

• Processing peanuts, fish, and hides
• tourism
• beverages
• agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking
• clothing

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

103,389

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

25%

3 facts — expand for details.

Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

75%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

19%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

6%

Annual Budget

$183,900,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-4%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

25.6%

5 facts — expand for details.

Full Country Name

Republic of The Gambia

Country Name

The Gambia

Etymology- history of name

Named for the Gambia River that flows through the heart of the country

Independence

18 February 1965 (from the UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

10 facts — expand for details.

Government Type

Presidential republic

Constitution

• History: Previous 1965 (Independence Act), 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997; note - in early 2018, the "Constitutional Review Commission," was established to draft and assist in instituting a new constitution; the National Assembly rejected a second draft completed in March 2020 in September; the president announced in January 2022 government plans to draft a new constitution
• Amendments: 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 the participation of at least 50% of eligible voters and approval by at least 75% of votes cast; amended 2001, 2004, 2018

Legal System:

Mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law

Executive Branch:

• Chief of State: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022); Vice President Muhammed B.S. JALLOW (24 February 2023; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
• Head of Government: President Adama BARROW (since 19 January 2022); Vice President Muhammed B.S. JALLOW (24 February 2023)
• Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
• Elections/Appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 4 December 2021 (next to be held in 2026); vice president appointed by the president
• 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%

Legislative Branch:

• Description: Unicameral National Assembly (58 seats; 53 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 5 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
• Elections: Last held on 9 April 2022 (next to be held in 2027)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - NPP 33.9%, UDP 28.3%, independent 22.6%, NRP 7.5%, PDOIS 3.7%, APRL 3.7%; seats by party - NPP 18, UDP 15, independent 12,NRP 4, APRL 2, PDOIS 2;
• Composition: men 52, women 6, percent of women 10.3%

Judicial Branch:

• 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

Regions or States:

• Summary: 5 regions, 1 city*
• and 1 municipality**
• Banjul*
• Central River
• Kanifing**
• Lower River
• North Bank
• Upper River
• West Coast

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Fabakary JATTA]
• Gambia Democratic Congress or GDC [Mama KANDEH]
• Gambia Moral Congress or GMC [Mai FATTY]
• National People's Party or NPP [Adama BARROW]
• People's Progressive Party or PPP [Yaya CEESAY)]
• United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: Yes Citizenship by descent
• only: Yes Dual citizenship
• recognized: No Residency requirement for
• naturalization: 5 years

Capital Name

Banjul

Capital - geographic coordinate

13 27 N, 16 34 W

Capital Time Difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

4 facts — expand for details.

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

International Law Organization Participation:

Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Sharon L. CROMER (since 18 March 2022)
• 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: ConsularBanjul@state.gov
• Website: https://gm.usembassy.gov/

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; [1] (202) 785-1428
• FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
• Email: info@gambiaembassydc.us
• Website: https://www.gambiaembassydc.us/home

8 facts — expand for details.

Geographic Location

Africa

Geographic Coordinates

13 28 N, 16 34 W

Total Area

4,361 Square Miles 11,295 Square Kilometers

Land Area

3,861 Square Miles 10,000 Square Kilometers

Water Area

500 Square Miles 1,295 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

460 Miles 740 Kilometers

Border Countries

Senegal 740 km

Coastline

50 Miles 80 Kilometers

6 facts — expand for details.

Terrain

Flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Highest Point

53 Meters

Highest Point Location

Unnamed location 53 m

Lowest Point Location

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

Fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand, clay, petroleum

Irrigated Land

19 Square Miles 50 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

5 facts — expand for details.

Climate

Climate is subtropical with a distinct hot and rainy season from June to October, and a cooler dry season from November to May.

The beginning and end of the rains are marked by high temperatures and high humidity, whereas the dry season is noted for the dusty and dry trade winds (harmattan) blowing in from the central Sahara.

Temperatures range from a low of 48°F (9°C) in January to a high of 110°F (43°C) in October.

Because of the cooling effect of the ocean, temperatures are lower along the coast than in the interior.

Rainfall varies widely from year to year but ranges from an annual mean of 48 inches in the west to 34 inches upriver.

Because of the humid climate and the salt air along the coast, metal rusts rapidly in The Gambia, and houses near the sea may be affected by the corrosive salt air.

Termites abound year round in soils and woodwork.

During the dry season, the harmattan winds blow in a fine dust.

However, the moderate temperatures during the dry season with mostly sunny days give The Gambia one of West Africa’s more pleasant climates.

Terrain

Flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Total Area

4,361 Square Miles 11,295 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Senegal 740 km

Environment - Current Issues

Deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - International Agreements

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Exports

$0 (USD)

Imports

$306,000,000 (USD)

2 facts — expand for details.

Country Description

The Gambia is a developing country in western Africa.

Its capital is Banjul.

The official language is English, but many inhabitants speak indigenous languages such as Wolof or Mandinka.

Facilities for tourism in the Banjul area and along the Atlantic coast south of the Gambia River are good; however, elsewhere, tourist facilities are limited in availability and quality.

Safety & Security

he Gambia has not experienced any recent acts of terrorism or large scale violence; however, much of its southern region borders the Casamance region of Senegal, which is home to a long-running, low-intensity conflict.

Demonstrations are rare in The Gambia.

Travelers driving a vehicle in The Gambia are obligated to stop at all roadblocks or road checkpoints in the country.

Drivers should not reverse direction to avoid a road checkpoint or make any movements that security personnel may view as suspicious or provocative.

Drivers who encounter a government motorcade should pull completely off the road and bring the car to a complete stop until the motorcade passes.

2 facts — expand for details.

Crime

Petty street crime is a problem in The Gambia.

Travelers should be careful of pickpockets in crowded market areas and on ferries.

Packages or luggage should never be left unattended, especially in taxis.

U.S. citizens in The Gambia should be careful not to leave valuables or identity documents unsecured in hotel rooms or cars.

Travelers should also be cautious of individuals who persistently offer unsolicited help.

Visitors and resident U.S. citizens may wish to leave their windows up and doors locked while driving due to several reported automobile burglaries, including theft from occupied cars stopped in traffic with windows open or doors unlocked.

Long-term residents may wish to consider hiring security guards for their home to deter burglary and theft.

Women should avoid walking alone, especially after dark, including in beach and tourist areas.

In addition, female visitors to The Gambia should be particularly cautious of men locally known as “bumsters,” who approach females wishing “just to get to know you,” or offering to be tour guides.

Bumsters often use romance in hopes of gaining money and other assistance, or in the hope of departing The Gambia through marriage to a Westerner.

Travelers are advised to be polite but decisive in turning down unwanted help or attempts at conversation.

Business fraud, long associated with other parts of West Africa, has also been reported in The Gambia.

The U.S. embassy has received reports of several scams in which U.S. businesses sent, but did not receive, payment for shipments.

U.S. citizens should be very suspicious of any unsolicited offers to participate in lucrative business opportunities, especially if they require financial disclosures, money transfers, large up-front investments, or promises of confidentiality.

The best way to avoid becoming a victim of fraud is common sense – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

You should be suspicious of any unsolicited business proposal originating in The Gambia.

Carefully scrutinize all proposals before you commit any funds, provide any goods or services, or undertake any travel.

For additional information, please see the Department of State’s information on International Financial Scams.

The U.S.

Embassy is frequently contacted by victims of romantic Internet scams and health-related plea-for-help scams perpetrated in The Gambia.

Generally, a U.S. citizen befriends someone or gets engaged to someone over the Internet.

This person, who can claim to be a U.S. citizen or a Gambian citizen, eventually requests financial assistance from the U.S. citizen to help pay for urgent medical treatment, to tide him or her over after a recent robbery, or to pay some form of alleged exit tax or government fine.

In the vast majority of cases, the person with whom the U.S. citizen has been corresponding is using a fake identity and is in no need of assistance.

In general, U.S. citizens are advised not to send money to anyone they have not met in person.

For more information on this type of scam, please refer to the State Department brochure on International Financial Scams, specifically the section on Internet Dating and Romance Scams.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available.

Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in The Gambia, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own.

In some places you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you.

In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.

In some places, driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail.

These criminal penalties will vary from country to country.

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States; for instance, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children, or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country, is a crime and is prosecutable in the United States.

If you break local laws in The Gambia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It is very important to know what is legal and what is not wherever you are traveling.

If you are arrested in The Gambia, Gambian authorities are required to notify the U.S.

2 facts — expand for details.

Medical Facilities

Medical facilities in The Gambia are very limited, some treatments are unavailable, and emergency services can be unpredictable and unreliable.

Travelers should carry their own supplies of prescription as well as over-the-counter medicines or treatments.

You can find good information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the CDC website.

For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website.

The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

Malaria is a serious risk to travelers in The Gambia.

Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in The Gambia (and for up to one year after returning home) should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history, as well as what anti-malarial medications they have been taking.

Traffic Safety

While in The Gambia, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

Travel in The Gambia can be difficult due to poor road conditions, particularly during the rainy season, which generally lasts from June through October.

Although there are paved main roads in the greater Banjul area, many are poorly maintained and poorly lit.

With the installation of street lights on roads in the Banjul area, some drivers no longer use their vehicle lights at night.

Most roads outside the Banjul area are still unlit and unpaved.

Caution should be exercised when using taxis, particularly at night.

Most taxis lack safety belts and many are not road-worthy.

Livestock and pedestrians pose road hazards throughout the country, including in the greater Banjul area.

Drivers and pedestrians should exercise extreme caution to prevent accidents.

Numerous accidents are caused by intoxicated drivers.

Tests are rarely done to determine levels of intoxication.

If you are suspected of causing an accident while intoxicated, and the case is taken to trial, you may be subject to a substantial fine or imprisonment.

The police do not consistently apply traffic laws and regulations, and sometimes compel drivers to pay fines on the spot for violations, real or contrived.

Written citations/tickets are rarely given.

Police periodically set up impromptu traffic stops on major streets to check for drivers’ licenses and proper insurance.

Drivers should not attempt to drive around these traffic stops.

Government convoys frequently travel at high speeds and often in either or both lanes of traffic, including in the oncoming traffic lane, requiring cars to move off the road.

Whenever there are police lights or sirens, drivers should move off the road immediately and completely.

There are no trauma centers in The Gambia and severe accidents often require evacuation to Senegal or Europe.

Water transportation in the region is unsafe.

Ferries rarely keep to their posted schedules.

The ferries, which are poorly maintained and often overcrowded, usually lack sufficient numbers of life preservers for all passengers.

U.S. citizens are advised to exit their cars during the crossing.

The wooden dugout “pirogues” that also cross the Gambia River often leave shore overloaded and occasionally sink in the middle of the river.

4 facts — expand for details.

Airports - total

1

Airports with Paved Runways

1

Roadways- total

2,324 Miles 3,740 Kilometers

Waterways

242 Miles 390 Kilometers

7 facts — expand for details.

Telephones

49,000

Cell Phones

100,000

Internet Users

25,000

Internet Country Code

.gm

Internet Hosts

1,453

Broadcast Media

• State-owned, single-channel TV service
• state-owned radio station and 4 privately owned radio stations
• transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available, some via shortwave radio
• cable and satellite TV subscription services are obtainable in some parts of the country

Telephone System

• assessment: Adequate microwave radio relay and open-wire network; state-owned Gambia Telecommunications partially privatized in 2007
• Domestic: Combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity, aided by multiple mobile-cellular providers, is roughly 80 per 100 persons
• International: Country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; a landing station for the Africa Coast to Europe (ACE) undersea fiber-optic cable is scheduled for completion in 2011; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

148,800,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

200,200,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

3,181

Anthem Lyrics English

For The Gambia, our homeland We strive and work and pray, That all may live in unity, Freedom and peace each day.

Let justice guide our actions Twords the common good, And join our diverse peoples To prove man's brotherhood.

We pledge our firm allegiance, Our promice we renew; Keep us, great God of nations, To The Gambia ever true.