Gambia is a small country based on the banks of the River Gambia and bordered to the north and south by Senegal. The evidence of colonisation and slave trade exploitation lie at James Island at the mouth of the Gambia River but the stone circles of Senegambia point to an historical legacy centuries before the arrival of Europeans. The best way to explore Gambia is to take a cruise along the river, stopping off to see the stone circles, riverside villages and the wildlife reserves at Kiang West and Baobolong. Explore in depth highlights of Gambia.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
|---|---|---|
| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT 0 (Greenwich mean time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | English |
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| Other languages: | Fula, Mandinka, Wolof |
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| Currency: |
dalasis (GMD) €1 = D48.37, $1 = D43.35, £1 = D0.00 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .gm | International Dialling Code: 220 |
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For help planning your trip to Gambia including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Gambia trip planning page.
Further information on Gambia
Discover more about Gambia - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 11,300 sq km (1,300 sq km under water)
Coastline: 80 km (Atlantic Ocean)
Neighbours (border lengths): Senegal (740km)
Climate: Tropical climate with a hot, rainy season from June to November and a cooler, dry season from November to May.
Highest mountain: unnamed location (53m)
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Gambia from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Not Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Authoritarian regime | 141/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 113/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Difficult situation | 149/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | High corruption | 126/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 172/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of The Gambia Status: Independent Country
Population: 1,925,527 (rank: 146/196) Density: 170.4 people/sq km (rank: 53/196)
Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1% (2003 census)
Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%
GDP (PPP): $3.68 billion GDP per capita: $2,000 (rank: 163/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.