The Gambia, one of Africa's smallest countries, achieved independence from the UK in February 1965, and has experienced long periods of stability since that time, despite intermittent tensions with Senegal, which surrounds it, and a military coup that toppled the country's elected government in 1994. In 1996, the country's military leader won a presidential election as a civilian, and the country returned to constitutional rule. Despite this relative stability, the Gambia is poor, and depends on foreign aid to fill gaps in its balance of payments. The country has poor soil quality and little arable land, which has led to the predominance of one crop - peanuts. The official language is English, with Mandinka, Wolof and Fula commonly spoken.

Leader: President Yahya Jammeh
Capital city: Banjul

Economic profile

Monetary unit: Dalasi
GDP per capita: $1 900 (2010) (CIA)
GDP composition by sector:
Agriculture: 30.1%(2010) (CIA)
Industry: 16.3% (2010) (CIA)
Services: 53.6% (2010) (CIA)
GDP growth rate: 5.7% (2010) (CIA)
Budget:
Government revenue, excluding grants: $183.9-million (2010) (CIA)
Government expenditure: $202.5-million (2010) (CIA)
Consumer price inflation: 6.5% (2010) (CIA)
Industries: Processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages, agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, and clothing
Exports of goods and services: $107-million (2010) (CIA)
Imports of goods and services: $306-million (2010) (CIA)
Export commodities: Peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, and re-exports
Import commodities: Foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Trade balance: $-90-million (2010) (CIA)
Reserves: $203-milionl (2010) (CIA)
Total investment: 28% of GDP (2010) (CIA)
Market capitalisation of listed companies: Figures not available

Social profile

Population: 1.70-million (2011) (World Bank)
Population growth: 2.7% (2011) (World Bank)
Life expectancy at birth: 56.2 years (2011) (Wrold Bank)
Adult literacy: 46% (2009) (World Bank)
School enrolment primary: 86% (2008) (World Bank)
School enrolment secondary: 51% (2009) (World Bank)
Number of people living with HIV/Aids: 1 800 (2009) (Unicef)