ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS)

The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Joining Senegal, it formed a short-lived Confederation of Senegambia between 1982 and 1989. A new constitution and presidential election in 1996, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a nominal return to civilian rule.

 
Economic Overview: West African trade and agrarian economy; COVID-19 reversed nearly 4 decades of continuous growth; major diamond, gold, cocoa, and oil exporter; high public debts; financial and energy sector reform programs adding to fiscal pressures; high remittances small West African economy; COVID-19 reversed robust growth trends; good fiscal management; substantial foreign direct investment and remittances; G20 Debt Service Suspension Initiative participant; widespread poverty; increasing Chinese  relations

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) $5.22 billion (2020 est.)

GDP per capita (Purchasing Power Parity) $2,200 (2020 est.)

Industries - peanuts, fish, hides, tourism, beverages, agricultural 

machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking, clothing 

Agricultural products - groundnuts, milk, oil palm fruit, millet, 

sorghum, rice, maize, vegetables, cassava, fruit 

Exports $643 million (2019 est.)

lumber, cashews, refined petroleum, fish oil, ground nut oil (2019) 

Partners: China 38%, India 22%, Mali 7%, Chile 5% (2019)

Imports $1.246 billion (2019 est.)

clothing, apparel, refined petroleum, rice, raw sugar, palm oil 

(2019)

Partners: China 33%, India 10%, Senegal 5%, Brazil 5% (2019)

*Information obtained from CIA.GOV Click on our Country Profile  to get a complete downloadable copy of Gambia's World Factbook profile.