Basic Information About Gambia:

Population: The population of Gambia is 2,081,793.

GDP:  $3.1 billion (2016)

Climate:  The Gambia has a subtropical climate with distinct dry and rainy seasons. From November to mid-May there is uninterrupted dry weather, with temperatures as low as 16 °C (60.8 °F) in Banjul and surrounding areas. 

People:  The majority of the country’s ethnic population belong to eight indigenous tribes. These are: the Mandinka (about 41% of the population); the Wolof (15%); the Fula (19%); the Jola (10%); the Serahuli (8%); the Serer (2.5%); the Aku (0.8%) and the Manjago (1.7%). The ethnic groups were all affected by the Atlantic Slave Trade and domestic slavery. 

Religion:  Approximately 90 percent of the population are Muslims.  The vast majority are Malikite Sunnis influenced with Sufism, of which the main orders represented are Tijaniyah, Qadiriyah. Except for Ahmadiyya, Sufi orders pray together at common mosques.

Capital:  Banjul, officially the City of Banjul and formerly known as Bathurst, is the capital of the Gambia and is in a division of the same name.

Language: English is the official language of the Gambia. Other languages are Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, Serer, Krio, jola and other indigenous vernaculars. Due to the country’s geographical setting, knowledge of French (an official language in much of West Africa) is relatively widespread.

Currency:  The Gambian Dalasi is the currency of Gambia.

Time Zone: UTC+00:00