ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: Suite 600, 1424 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379, 1399, 1425
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Barry L. WELLS
embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone: [220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170
FAX: [220] 439-2475
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,
and green
Economy ::Gambia, The
Economy - overview:
The Gambia has no confirmed 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 Gambia's natural beauty
and proximity to Europe has made it one of the larger markets for
tourism in West Africa. The government's 1998 seizure of the private
peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian
groundnuts. 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):
$2.277 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
$2.15 billion (2007 est.)
$2.023 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$810 million (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
6.3% (2007 est.)
6.5% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,300 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
$1,300 (2007 est.)
$1,200 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 33.3%
industry: 7.6%
services: 59% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
777,100 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 143
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75%
industry: 19%
services: 6% (1996)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 36.9% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
50.2 (1998)
country comparison to the world: 23
Investment (gross fixed):
28% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Budget:
revenues: $155.6 million
expenditures: $167.3 million (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
5.1% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
10% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 8
27.92% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$186.7 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$180.4 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$169.9 million (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),
palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism, beverages,
agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing
Industrial production growth rate:
0.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Electricity - production:
160 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Electricity - consumption:
148.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Oil - consumption:
2,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
Oil - exports:
41.62 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Oil - imports:
2,266 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 176
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Current account balance:
-$127 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
-$80.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$85 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
$91.4 million (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports
Exports - partners:
India 30.5%, Japan 25.6%, Belgium 6.3%, China 5.5%, UK 5.3%, Spain
4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$299 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
$262.9 million (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Imports - partners:
China 20.6%, Senegal 12.1%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.7%, Brazil 7.7%,
Netherlands 5% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$140 million (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
$142.8 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$628.8 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Exchange rates:
dalasis (GMD) per US dollar - 22.75 (2008 est.), 27.79 (2007),
28.066 (2006), 28.575 (2005), 30.03 (2004)
Communications ::Gambia, The
Telephones - main lines in use:
48,900 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 164
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.166 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 138
Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is
available; state-owned Gambia Telecommunications partially
privatized in 2007
domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire;
combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity reached 70
telephones per 100 persons in 2008
international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (government-owned) (1997)
Internet country code:
.gm
Internet hosts:
895 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 162
Internet users:
114,200 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 148
Transportation ::Gambia, The
Airports:
1 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 232
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 3,742 km
country comparison to the world: 158
paved: 723 km
unpaved: 3,019 km (2004)
Waterways:
390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190 km)
(2008)
country comparison to the world: 89
Merchant marine:
total: 5
country comparison to the world: 133
by type: passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Banjul
Military ::Gambia, The
Military branches:
Office of the Chief of Defense: Gambian National Army (National
Guard, GNA), Gambian Navy (GN) (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
(2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 379,668
females age 16-49: 384,438 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 238,454
females age 16-49: 253,680 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 20,238
female: 20,167 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.5% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 163
Transnational Issues ::Gambia, The
Disputes - international:
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and
other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's
Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African
states
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 5,955 (Sierra Leone) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: The Gambia is a source, transit, and destination
country for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced
labor and commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls, and to a
lesser extent boys, are trafficked for sexual exploitation - in
particular to meet the demand for European sex tourism - and for
domestic servitude; boys are trafficked within the country for
forced begging and street vending; Gambian women and children may be
trafficked to Europe through trafficking schemes disguised as
migrant smuggling
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a second consecutive year, The
Gambia is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide
evidence of increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking; The Gambia
failed to report any trafficking arrests, prosecutions, or
convictions in 2007, and the government demonstrated weak victim
protection efforts during the reporting period (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Gaza Strip (Middle East)
Introduction ::Gaza Strip
Background:
The September 1993 Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements provided for a transitional period of
Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Under a
series of agreements signed between May 1994 and September 1999,
Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA) security and
civilian responsibility for Palestinian-populated areas of the West
Bank and Gaza. Negotiations to determine the permanent status of the
West Bank and Gaza stalled following the outbreak of an intifada in
September 2000, as Israeli forces reoccupied most
Palestinian-controlled areas. In April 2003, the Quartet (US, EU,
UN, and Russia) presented a roadmap to a final settlement of the
conflict by 2005 based on reciprocal steps by the two parties
leading to two states, Israel and a democratic Palestine. The
proposed date for a permanent status agreement was postponed
indefinitely due to violence and accusations that both sides had not
followed through on their commitments. Following Palestinian leader
Yasir ARAFAT's death in late 2004, Mahmud ABBAS was elected PA
president in January 2005. A month later, Israel and the PA agreed
to the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments in an effort to move the peace
process forward. In September 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew all
its settlers and soldiers and dismantled its military facilities in
the Gaza Strip and withdrew settlers and redeployed soldiers from
four small northern West Bank settlements. Nonetheless, Israel
controls maritime, airspace, and most access to the Gaza Strip. A
November 2005 PA-Israeli agreement authorized the reopening of the
Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt under joint
PA and Egyptian control. In January 2006, the Islamic Resistance
Movement, HAMAS, won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council
(PLC). The international community refused to accept the HAMAS-led
government because it did not recognize Israel, would not renounce
violence, and refused to honor previous peace agreements between
Israel and the PA. HAMAS took control of the PA government in March
2006, but President ABBAS had little success negotiating with HAMAS
to present a political platform acceptable to the international
community so as to lift economic sanctions on Palestinians. The PLC
was unable to convene throughout most of 2006 as a result of
Israel's detention of many HAMAS PLC members and Israeli-imposed
travel restrictions on other PLC members. Violent clashes took place
between Fatah and HAMAS supporters in the Gaza Strip in 2006 and
early 2007, resulting in numerous Palestinian deaths and injuries.
ABBAS and HAMAS Political Bureau Chief MISHAL in February 2007
signed the Mecca Agreement in Saudi Arabia that resulted in the
formation of a Palestinian National Unity Government (NUG) headed by
HAMAS member Ismail HANIYA. However, fighting continued in the Gaza
Strip, and in June, HAMAS militants succeeded in a violent takeover
of all military and governmental institutions in the Gaza Strip.
ABBAS dismissed the NUG and through a series of Presidential decrees
formed a PA government in the West Bank led by independent Salam
FAYYAD. HAMAS rejected the NUG's dismissal and has called for
resuming talks with Fatah, but ABBAS has ruled out negotiations
until HAMAS agrees to a return of PA control over the Gaza Strip and
recognizes the FAYYAD-led government. FAYYAD and his PA government
initiated a series of security and economic reforms to improve
conditions in the West Bank. ABBAS participated in talks with
Israel's Prime Minister OLMERT and secured the release of some
Palestinian prisoners and previously withheld customs revenue.
During a November 2007 international meeting in Annapolis Maryland,
ABBAS and OLMERT agreed to resume peace negotiations with the goal
of reaching a final peace settlement. Late November 2007 through
June 2008 witnessed a substantial increase in Israeli-Palestinian
violence. An Egyptian-brokered truce in June 2008 between Israel and
HAMAS brought about a five-month pause in hostilities, but spiraling
end-of-year violence culminated with massive Israeli air assaults on
HAMAS installations in late December followed by Israeli ground
attacks in early January 2009. Israel in mid January unilaterally
stopped the attacks and HAMAS responded by suspending rocket and
mortar fire. The fighting resulted in the deaths of an estimated
1,100 to 1,400 Palestinians and left tens of thousands of people
homeless. International donors pledged $4.5 billion in aid to
rebuild the Gaza Strip, but by mid-May 2009 only a small fraction of
the aid had been delivered.
Geography ::Gaza Strip
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
Israel
Geographic coordinates:
31 25 N, 34 20 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total: 360 sq km
country comparison to the world: 205
land: 360 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Coastline:
40 km
Maritime claims:
Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
determined through further negotiation
Climate:
temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers
Terrain:
flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m
Natural resources:
arable land, natural gas
Land use:
arable land: 29%
permanent crops: 21%
other: 50% (2002)
Irrigated land:
155 sq km; (note - includes West Bank) (2003)
Natural hazards:
droughts
Environment - current issues:
desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;
water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination
of underground water resources
Geography - note:
strategic strip of land along Mideast-North African trade routes has
experienced an incredibly turbulent history; the town of Gaza itself
has been besieged countless times in its history
People ::Gaza Strip
Population:
1,551,859 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.4% (male 353,489/female 334,770)
15-64 years: 53% (male 420,618/female 402,297)
65 years and over: 2.6% (male 16,483/female 24,202) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.4 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.349% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
Birth rate:
36.93 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
Death rate:
3.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Urbanization:
urban population: 72% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 114
male: 19.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.42 years
country comparison to the world: 107
male: 71.82 years
female: 75.12 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.03 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups:
Palestinian Arab
Religions:
Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 99.3%, Christian 0.7%
Languages:
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely
understood)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 96.7%
female: 88% (2004 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Gaza Strip
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gaza Strip
local long form: none
local short form: Qita Ghazzah
Economy ::Gaza Strip
Economy - overview:
High population density, limited land access, and strict internal
and external security controls have kept economic conditions in the
Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian
Authority (PA) - even more degraded than in the West Bank. The
beginning of the second intifada in September 2000 sparked an
economic downturn, largely the result of Israeli closure policies;
these policies, which were imposed to address security concerns in
Israel, disrupted labor and trade access to and from the Gaza Strip.
In 2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures
in PA areas resulted in the destruction of capital, the disruption
of administrative structures, and widespread business closures. The
Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005 offered
some medium-term opportunities for economic growth, but
Israeli-imposed crossings closures, which became more restrictive
after HAMAS violently took over the territory in June 2007, have
resulted in widespread private sector layoffs and shortages of most
goods. The status of the crossings, which are closed to all but the
most basic goods, has not changed following Israel's military
offensive into the Gaza Strip in early 2009.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$11.95 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
$5.034 billion (2006 est.)
$5.327 billion (2005 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.641 billion (2008 est.) (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
0.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
-8% (2006 est.)
4.9% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,900 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
$1,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 8%
industry: 13%
services: 79% (includes West Bank) (2007 est.)
Labor force:
267,000 (2006)
country comparison to the world: 161
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 5%
services: 83% (June 2008)
Unemployment rate:
41.3% (June 2008)
country comparison to the world: 189
34.8% (2006)
Population below poverty line:
80% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $1.149 billion
expenditures: $2.31 billion
note: includes West Bank (2006)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 165
3.6% (2006)
note: includes West Bank
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
7.19% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 110
7.73% (31 December 2006)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.574 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.251 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 68
$1.206 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.367 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 100
$368.2 million (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
olives, citrus fruit, vegetables, flowers, beef, dairy products
Industries:
textiles, food processing
Industrial production growth rate:
2.4% (includes West Bank) (2005)
country comparison to the world: 95
Electricity - production:
140,000 kWh (2005)
country comparison to the world: 212
Electricity - consumption:
230,000 kWh (2005)
country comparison to the world: 213
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
90,000 kWh; note - from Israeli Electric Company (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
NA bbl
Exports:
$339 million (2006)
country comparison to the world: 171
Exports - commodities:
citrus, flowers, textiles
Imports:
$2.84 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 142
$2.44 billion (2005)
Imports - commodities:
food, consumer goods, construction materials
Debt - external:
$1.3 billion (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Exchange rates:
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14
(2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)
Communications ::Gaza Strip
Telephones - main lines in use:
348,000 (includes West Bank) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 110
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.153 million (includes West Bank) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 139
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL
are responsible for fixed line services; the Palestinian JAWAL
company provides cellular services
international: country code - 970 (2004)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 0, FM 10, shortwave 0 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
1 (2008)
Internet country code:
.ps; note - same as West Bank
Internet users:
356,000 (includes West Bank) (2008)
country comparison to the world: 117
Transportation ::Gaza Strip
Airports:
1 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 230
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Roadways:
note: see entry for West Bank
Ports and terminals:
Gaza
Military ::Gaza Strip
Military branches:
Palestinian Authority security forces have operated only in the West
Bank, not in the Gaza Strip, since Hamas seized power in June 2007;
law and order and other security functions are performed by Hamas
security organizations (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 337,670 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 312,003
females age 16-49: 297,380 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 19,147