Population:
1,778,081 (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 43.6% (male 390,806/female 387,172)
15-64 years:
53.6% (male 473,478/female 481,315)
65 years and over:
2.8% (male 25,071/female 25,051) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 17.9 years
male:
17.8 years
female:
18.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.589% (2009 est.)
Birth rate:
37.8 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Death rate:
12.21 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 57% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
4.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 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 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 68.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
74.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
62.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 53.81 years
male:
52.05 years
female:
55.62 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.04 children born/woman (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.9% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
8,200 (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
600 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
malaria
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
respiratory disease:
meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease:
rabies (2009)
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% (2003 census)
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 2%
Languages:
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
40.1%
male:
47.8%
female:
32.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male:
7 years
female:
7 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2% of GDP (2004)
