World Factbook
Gambia
Republic of The Gambia
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Literacy
male
65.3% (2021 est.)
female
40.5% (2021 est.)
total population
51.6% (2021 est.)
Languages
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Religions
Muslim 96.4%, Christian 3.5%, other or none 0.1% (2019-20 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.97 male(s)/female
total population
0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.78 male(s)/female
Birth rate
26.49 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
19.8 years
total
20.5 years (2025 est.)
female
20.6 years
Population
male
1,250,490
total
2,523,327 (2024 est.)
female
1,272,837
Nationality
noun
Gambian(s)
adjective
Gambian
Tobacco use
male
17% (2025 est.)
total
8.6% (2025 est.)
female
0.5% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
64.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
3.75% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
38.2% (male 486,472/female 477,309)
15-64 years
58.1% (male 723,360/female 743,127)
65 years and over
3.7% (2024 est.) (male 40,658/female 52,401)
Ethnic groups
Mandinka/Jahanka 33.3%, Fulani/Tukulur/Lorobo 18.2%, Wolof 12.9%, Jola/Karoninka 11%, Serahuleh 7.2%, Serer 3.5%, other 4%, non-Gambian 9.9% (2019-20 est.)
Child marriage
men married by age 18
0.2% (2020)
women married by age 15
5.6% (2020)
women married by age 18
23.1% (2020)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
72.1 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
65.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
15.8 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
6.3 (2024 est.)
Physician density
0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
3.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
7.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
1.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.39 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 85.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 90.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 14.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 9.1% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
14.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
39.1 deaths/1,000 live births
total
35 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
32.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
2.09% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.67 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
settlements are found scattered along the Gambia River; the largest communities, including the capital of Banjul and the country's largest city, Serekunda, are found at the mouth of the Gambia River along the Atlantic coast, as shown in this population distribution map
Life expectancy at birth
male
66.7 years
female
70.1 years
total population
68.4 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 32% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 59.4% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 74.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 68% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 40.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 25.1% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
2.67 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
2.44 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
481,000 BANJUL (capital) (2023)
note: includes the local government areas of Banjul and Kanifing
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
10.3% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
20.7 years (2019/20 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
63% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
11.6% (2020 est.)