People and Society of The Gambia

Nationality

Gambian(s)

Ethnic Groups

African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Population

2,686,002

Population in Major Urban Areas

BANJUL (capital) 506,000

Medical facilities in The Gambia are very limited, some treatments are unavailable, and emergency services can be unpredictable and unreliable. Travelers should carry their own supplies of prescription as well as over-the-counter medicines or treatments. You can find good information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information. Malaria is a serious risk to travelers in The Gambia. Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in The Gambia (and for up to one year after returning home) should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history, as well as what anti-malarial medications they have been taking.

Life Expectancy at Birth

Life expectancy at birth in The Gambia has shown meaningful improvement over recent decades, reflecting gradual advances in public health infrastructure, maternal and child care, and disease prevention. As of the most recent available data, the average life expectancy at birth in The Gambia stands at approximately 62 years for the combined population. Women tend to live slightly longer than men, with female life expectancy estimated at around 63 years, while male life expectancy sits closer to 61 years. These figures place The Gambia below the global average of roughly 73 years, yet the country has made notable strides when compared to its own historical baseline. In the early 1960s, life expectancy in The Gambia was estimated at just under 35 years. The dramatic rise since then reflects improved access to vaccines, oral rehydration therapy, and basic prenatal care, as well as international health partnerships that have helped reduce child mortality rates. Several factors continue to weigh on life expectancy. Malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death, particularly among children under five. HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and respiratory infections also contribute to premature mortality. Limited access to clean drinking water and sanitation in rural areas creates persistent health risks. The country's healthcare system faces ongoing challenges including understaffing, inadequate medical facilities outside the capital Banjul, and a shortage of essential medicines. Despite these obstacles, child mortality rates have fallen considerably, and programs targeting maternal health have contributed to fewer deaths during childbirth. The Gambia has benefited from support by organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization, which have funded vaccination campaigns and community health worker training programs. The under-five mortality rate, while still elevated by global standards, has declined significantly since the turn of the century, reflecting the cumulative impact of these public health investments. For travelers, The Gambia's health landscape underscores the importance of taking standard precautions such as malaria prophylaxis and ensuring routine vaccinations are up to date before visiting. For students studying development metrics, The Gambia illustrates how a low-income country can achieve incremental but meaningful health gains even under constrained resources, while still facing the challenges common to sub-Saharan West Africa.

Infant Mortality Rate

The Gambia faces significant challenges in infant health, with an infant mortality rate of approximately 37 to 40 deaths per 1,000 live births in recent years. This figure, while still elevated by global standards, represents a meaningful improvement from earlier decades, when the rate exceeded 80 deaths per 1,000 live births in the early 2000s. The downward trend reflects sustained public health efforts, increased access to maternal and child healthcare services, and support from international health organizations. The primary causes of infant mortality in The Gambia include neonatal complications such as preterm birth, birth asphyxia, and neonatal sepsis, as well as post-neonatal causes like malaria, diarrheal disease, acute respiratory infections, and malnutrition. Malaria remains one of the most significant contributors to under-five and infant deaths, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas where access to preventive measures and prompt treatment is more limited. Geographic disparities play a notable role in infant survival outcomes. Infants born in rural regions of The Gambia face higher mortality risks compared to those born in the Greater Banjul Area, due to differences in healthcare infrastructure, availability of skilled birth attendants, and access to emergency obstetric care. Approximately 57 percent of births in the country are attended by skilled health personnel, though this figure varies considerably by region. UNICEF and the World Health Organization have been active partners with the Gambian government in rolling out immunization campaigns, promoting exclusive breastfeeding practices, expanding oral rehydration therapy for diarrheal illnesses, and training community health workers. The government's health strategy has increasingly prioritized the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness framework to address the leading causes of infant death in a coordinated way. Despite progress, The Gambia's infant mortality rate remains higher than the Sub-Saharan African average and significantly above rates seen in high-income countries, where the figure typically falls below 5 per 1,000 live births. Continued investment in healthcare access, nutrition programs, and maternal health services will be critical to sustaining improvements in the years ahead.

Major Infectious Diseases

Very high

Literacy Definition

Age 15 and over can read and write

• Muslim90.0%
• Christian9.0%
• Indigenous1.0%

English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

• English
• Mandinka
• Wolof

Crime Information

Petty street crime is a problem in The Gambia. Travelers should be careful of pickpockets in crowded market areas and on ferries. Packages or luggage should never be left unattended, especially in taxis. U.S. citizens in The Gambia should be careful not to leave valuables or identity documents unsecured in hotel rooms or cars. Travelers should also be cautious of individuals who persistently offer unsolicited help. Visitors and resident U.S. citizens may wish to leave their windows up and doors locked while driving due to several reported automobile burglaries, including theft from occupied cars stopped in traffic with windows open or doors unlocked. Long-term residents may wish to consider hiring security guards for their home to deter burglary and theft. Women should avoid walking alone, especially after dark, including in beach and tourist areas. In addition, female visitors to The Gambia should be particularly cautious of men locally known as “bumsters,” who approach females wishing “just to get to know you,” or offering to be tour guides. Bumsters often use romance in hopes of gaining money and other assistance, or in the hope of departing The Gambia through marriage to a Westerner. Travelers are advised to be polite but decisive in turning down unwanted help or attempts at conversation. Business fraud, long associated with other parts of West Africa, has also been reported in The Gambia. The U.S. embassy has received reports of several scams in which U.S. businesses sent, but did not receive, payment for shipments. U.S. citizens should be very suspicious of any unsolicited offers to participate in lucrative business opportunities, especially if they require financial disclosures, money transfers, large up-front investments, or promises of confidentiality. The best way to avoid becoming a victim of fraud is common sense – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. You should be suspicious of any unsolicited business proposal originating in The Gambia. Carefully scrutinize all proposals before you commit any funds, provide any goods or services, or undertake any travel. For additional information, please see the Department of State’s information on International Financial Scams. The U.S. Embassy is frequently contacted by victims of romantic Internet scams and health-related plea-for-help scams perpetrated in The Gambia. Generally, a U.S. citizen befriends someone or gets engaged to someone over the Internet. This person, who can claim to be a U.S. citizen or a Gambian citizen, eventually requests financial assistance from the U.S. citizen to help pay for urgent medical treatment, to tide him or her over after a recent robbery, or to pay some form of alleged exit tax or government fine. In the vast majority of cases, the person with whom the U.S. citizen has been corresponding is using a fake identity and is in no need of assistance. In general, U.S. citizens are advised not to send money to anyone they have not met in person. For more information on this type of scam, please refer to the State Department brochure on International Financial Scams, specifically the section on Internet Dating and Romance Scams. Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in The Gambia, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In some places you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. In some places, driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States; for instance, you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods. Engaging in sexual conduct with children, or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country, is a crime and is prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in The Gambia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It is very important to know what is legal and what is not wherever you are traveling. If you are arrested in The Gambia, Gambian authorities are required to notify the U.S. Embassy of your arrest. If you are concerned that the Department of State may not be aware of your situation, you should request the police or prison officials to notify the U.S. Embassy of your arrest.