Gambia, The Demographics Profile 2009

Population

1,782,893 (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

2.668% (2009 est.)

Birth rate

37.87 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate

11.49 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: 67.33 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 73.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 60.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 55.35 years
male: 53.43 years
female: 57.34 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)