| Economy - overview: | The Gambia has no significant mineral or natural resource deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that the government intends to follow through on its promises. Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high; short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors, and on expected growth in the construction sector. |
| GDP - per capita | $1,900 (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate (%) | 7.1% (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats |
| GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 35.5%, industry: 12.2%, services: 52.3% (2005 est.) |
| Industries | processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages; agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing |
| Economic aid - recipient | $59.8 million (2003) |
| Debt - external | $628.8 million (2003 est.) |
| Population below poverty line (%) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6% |
Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
