Country name
conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional short form : The Gambia

Data code GA

Government type republic under multiparty democratic rule

National capital Banjul

Administrative divisions 5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower River, MacCarthy Island, NorthBank, Upper River, Western

Independence 18 February 1965 (from UK); note - The Gambia and Senegal signed anagreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederationto be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September1989

National holiday Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution 24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and published in March1996; approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; rewritten and reestablished in January 1997

Legal system based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and customarylaw; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 12 October 1996); Vice PresidentIsaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both thechief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice PresidentIsaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both thechief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term; the numberof terms is not restricted; election last held 26 September 1996 (next tobe held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote - President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.5%, Ousinou DARBOE35.8%

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45 elected, 4 appointed by thepresident)
elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be held NA)
election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 33, UDP 7, NRP2, PDOIS 1, independents 2

Judicial branch Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [YahyaA. J. J. JAMMEH]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS[Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]; note - inAugust 1996 the government banned the following from participation in theelections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP [former President DawdaK. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties - the National ConventionParty or NCP [former vice president Sheriff DIBBA (in exile)] and the GambianPeople's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa CAMARA]

International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Counselor, Charge d'Affaires ad interim MalaminK. JUWARA
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399, 1379, 1425
FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald Wesley SCOTT
embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
telephone : [220] 392856, 392858, 391970, 391971
FAX: [220] 392475

Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, andgreen

NOTE: The information regarding The Gambia on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of The Gambia Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about The Gambia Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.