Gambia, The

Country name	Republic of The Gambia
Capital	Banjul
Independence	18 February 1965 (from the UK)
National holiday	Independence Day, 18 February (1965)
Population	1,840,454 (July 2012 est.)
Sex ratio	1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Nationality: noun	Gambian(s)
Religions	Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%
Languages	English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Literacy	Age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 50% Male: 60% Female: 40.4% (2010 est.)
Location	Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal
Geographic coordinates	13 28 N, 16 34 W
Map references	Africa
Area	Total: 11,295 sq km Land: 10,000 sq km Water: 1,295 sq km
Area - comparative	Slightly less than twice the size of Delaware
Land boundaries	Total: 740 km Border countries: Senegal 740 km
Coastline	80 km
Maritime claims	Territorial sea: 12 nm Contiguous zone: 18 nm Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Continental shelf: extent not specified
Climate	tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season (November to May)
Terrain	flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed elevation 53 m
Natural resources	fish, clay, silica sand, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon
Exports - commodities	Peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels
Imports - commodities	Foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment
Land use	arable land: 27.88% permanent crops: 0.44% other: 71.68% (2005)
Irrigated land	20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources	8 cu km (1982)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)	total: 0.03 cu km/yr (23%/12%/65%) per capita: 20 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards	drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)
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
Geography - note	almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of Africa