Gambia

Overview "Progress, Peace, Prosperity" The Gambian coat of arms The Gambia flag

Statistics 397.6/sq mi ||
 * ~ Population ||
 * - || 2007 United Nation estimate || 1,700,000 (146th) ||
 * - || Density || 153.5/km2 (74th)
 * **GDP** (PPP) || 2007 estimate ||
 * - || Total || $2.093 billion[2[|]] ||
 * - || Per capita || $1,317[2[|]] ||
 * **GDP** (nominal) || 2007 estimate ||
 * - || Total || $644 million[2[|]] ||
 * - || Per capita || $405[2[|]] ||

Geography

media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=gambia&sll=47.537065,-121.764629&sspn=179.953874,360&ie=UTF8&ll=13.443182,-15.310139&spn=0.485685,0.615234&t=h&z=11&output=embed&s=AARTsJrrBgPZZShaWVViHJtWQeI1flhUsQ" width="425" height="350" The Gambia is a very small and narrow country whose borders mirror the meandering Gambia River. The country is less than 48 km wide at its widest point, with a total area of 11,300 km². Approximately 1,300 km² of the Gambia's area is covered by water. It is almost an enclave of Senegal, with all of the 740 km border zones touching Senegal. The Gambia is the smallest country on the continent of Africa. The total area of the Gambia is slightly less than twice the size of the American state of Delaware. The western side of the country borders the North Atlantic Ocean with 80 km of coastline.  History

<--- Representation of Gambia's independence day Arab traders gave Gambia's first written events in the ninth and tenth centuries. During the 10th century, Muslim merchants and scholars created communities in many of West Africa’s commercial centers. Both groups established trans-Saharan trade routes, leading to a trade for gold, and ivory. By the eleventh or twelfth century, the rulers of kingdoms such as Takrur (a kingdom located next to the Senegal River just to the north), Ancient Ghana and Gao, had converted to Islam and had hired Muslims who were literate in Arabic as advisers. At the beginning of the fourteenth century, most of what is today called The Gambia was a tributary to the Mali Empire. The Portugese reached the area by sea in the middle of the fifteenth century and began to dominate trade. Economy The Gambia has a liberal, market-based economy distinguished by traditional subsistence agriculture, a historic reliance on peanuts for export earnings, a re-export trade built up around its ocean port, low import duties, low administrative procedures, a fluctuating exchange rate with no exchange controls, and a significant tourism industry. Agriculture accounts for roughly 30% of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs about 70% of the labor force. Within agriculture, peanut production accounts for 6.9% of GDP, other crops 8.3%, livestock 5.3%, fishing 1.8%, and forestry 0.5%. Industry accounts for approximately 8% of GDP and services approximately 58%. The limited amount of manufacturing is primarily agricultural-based (e.g., peanut processing, bakeries, a brewery, and a tannery). Other manufacturing activities include soap, soft drinks, and clothing.

Government Gambia is now an independent and not owned by the UK. Previous to the 1994 coup d'état, The Gambia was one of the longest existing multi-party democracies in Africa. It had conducted freely contested elections every half decade since independence. The People's Progressive Party (PPP), headed by former president Jawara, had dominated Gambian politics for nearly 30 years. After spearheading the movement toward complete independence from Britain, the PPP was voted into power and was never seriously challenged by any opposition party. The last elections under the PPP regime were held in April 1992.

Religion // About 90% of the population in Gambia are involved in the practice of Islam Article 25 of the Constitution protects the rights of citizens to practice any religion that they choose. The government also did not establish a state religion. Islam is the predominant religion, practiced by approximately 90 percent of the country's population. The majority of the Muslims present in the Gambia adhere to Sunni laws and traditions. Virtually all commercial life in the Gambia comes to a standstill in major Muslim holidays, including Eid-al-Atha (Pronounced Eid- Al- At- Ha) and Eid-al-Fitr. Most Muslims in the Gambia follow the Maliki school of jurisprudence. //

Culture media type="youtube" key="8QGpyw7vE-I" height="344" width="425"

media type="custom" key="3428932" width="354" height="108" Gambians are known for their awsome music, as well as their great dancing. Although Gambia is the tiniest country in Africa, its culture is the product of very diverse influences. The national borders outline a narrow strip on either side of the River Gambia, a body of water that has played a vital part in the nation's destiny and is known locally simply as "The River," which is much less of a mouthfull. Without natural barriers, Gambia has become home to most of the traditional groups that are present throughout western Africa, especially those in Senegal. Europeans also figure clearly in the nation's history because the River Gambia is accessible deep into the continent, a geographic characteristic that made this area one of the most advantageous sites for the slave trade from the 15th through the 17th centuries. (It also made it strategic to the close of this trade once it was outlawed in the 19th century.) Some of this history was popularized in the Alex Haley book and TV series "Roots," which was set in Gambia. Although much of Haley's illustration of the past has been discredited in certain quarters, the Gambian government has embraced the opportunity to serve as a cultural center for the African diaspora and for others seeking to better understand the rich heritage of African people. For The Gambia, our homeland We strive and work and pray, That all may live in unity, Freedom and peace each day. Let justice guide our actions Towards the common good, And join our diverse peoples To prove man's brotherhood. We pledge our firm allegiance, Our promise we renew; Keep us, great God of nations, To The Gambia ever true. Social Problems

In gambia there are many social problems but one that has affected many people is retirement. The retirement age is 55, but the early retirement age is 45. Workers compensation laws have been taking affect since 1940. Although there are special schemes for people who are in the military, sadly farmers are not included for coverage. Other

< vacation at The Gambia < a well Quotes taken directly from Scott Stearns, reporting at []

"A leading opposition figure in Gambia has been released from prison after the government dropped charges including spying, illegal assembly and sedition.

Halifa Sallah's latest trouble began when he went to the village of Makumbaya to investigate reports that people were being abducted and made to drink hallucinogenic drugs in what the human rights group Amnesty International says is an orchestrated campaign by Gambian security forces.

"It had gone beyond politics. It was a sort of a supernatural cleansing of human beings. And I sat down and asked myself the question: Should a history be written that in the Gambia, at this particular moment, such a thing is taking place and no one says anything," Sallah said.

Sallah challenged President Yahya Jammeh in the 2006 election and is currently the minority leader in the national assembly. He held several press conferences on the abductions, which were also widely reported in Gambian newspapers.

But when security officials said there were no abductions, Sallah decided to record interviews with some of the witnesses and send an audio cassette to President Jammeh.

"By so doing, I expected that the state will see that, constitutionally, the liberties of these people were being violated, their right to privacy being violated, trespass in their homes," Sallah said.

Instead, Sallah was arrested on charges of obtaining "confidential information which could be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy." He was charged with holding an unlawful assembly "with intent to bring hatred or contempt or excite disaffection against the government."

Sallah was unable to meet bail conditions requiring that one of his three guarantors be a retired police officer who has attained the rank of inspector general. After nearly two weeks in jail and complaints by Amnesty International that he could be tortured while in custody, Sallah was released and all charges dropped.

"When they were withdrawing the charges, they said that they were doing so in the interest of peace and justice. Peace and justice must be premised on the fundamental rights of people being respected," Sallah said.

Amnesty International says nearly 1,000 Gambians have been locked up in secret detention centers. The human rights groups says at least two people have died after drinking a hallucinogenic liquid of poisonous herbs and many more have suffered serious kidney problems.

In an interview with VOA, Sallah said he will continue to pursue the issue even though the charges against him have been dropped.

"I intend to send these very charges back to the president with a letter to make inquiries where lies that government policy or law on the screening of witches," said Sallah.

President Jammeh has been in power since a 1994 coup against Gambia's founding father Dawda Jawara. Human rights groups and press freedom organizations say the Jammeh government has used arbitrary arrest to repress political dissent and stifle critical press coverage."