Demographics of the Gambia

A wide variety of ethnic groups live in The Gambia, each preserving its own language and traditions with minimumal intertribal friction. The Mandinka tribe is the largest, followed by the Fula, Wolof, Jola, and Serahuli. The Aku are a small community. Approximately 2,500 non-Africans live in The Gambia, including Europeans and families of Lebanese origin.

Muslims constitute more than 92% of the population. Christians of various denominations account for most of the remainder. Gambians officially observe the holidays of both religions and practice religious tolerance.

More than 80% of Gambians live in rural villages, although more and more young people come to the capital in search of work and education. While urban migration, development projects, and modernization are bringing more Gambians into contact with Western habits and values, the traditional emphasis on the extended family, as well as indigenous forms of dress and celebration, remain integral parts of everyday life.

Population: 1,367,124 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 311,293; female 308,570)
15-64 years: 52% (male 352,765; female 358,258)
65 years and over: 3% (male 19,099; female 17,139) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.2% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 42.28 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 79.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.2 years
male: 51.29 years
female: 55.16 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Gambian(s)
adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages: English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38.6%
male: 52.8%
female: 24.9% (1995 est.)

See also : The Gambia

Demographics of Africa

Demographics of: Algeria | Angola | Benin | Botswana | Burkina Faso | Burundi | Cameroon | Cape Verde | Central African Republic | Chad | Comoros | Democratic Republic of the Congo | Republic of the Congo | Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | Djibouti | Egypt | Equatorial Guinea | Eritrea | Ethiopia | Gabon | The Gambia | Ghana | Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Kenya | Lesotho | Liberia | Libya | Madagascar | Malawi | Mali | Mauritania | Mauritius | Morocco | Mozambique | Namibia | Niger | Nigeria | Rwanda | São Tomé and Príncipe | Senegal | Seychelles | Sierra Leone | Somalia / Somaliland | South Africa | Sudan | Swaziland | Tanzania | Togo | Tunisia | Uganda | Western Sahara | Zambia | Zimbabwe

Dependencies: British Indian Ocean Territory | Canary Islands | Ceuta and Melilla | Madeira Islands | Mayotte | Réunion | Saint Helena