Gambia statistics — population, economy, trade and telecom
As Africa’s smallest mainland country by land area, Gambia punches above its weight as a case study in development economics, migration dynamics, and tourism-dependent growth. In 2026, with the continent’s reform agenda accelerating under the African Union’s Agenda 2063 framework and the AfCFTA reshaping regional trade flows, granular data on small states like Gambia becomes essential for investors, policymakers, and development partners seeking to understand West Africa’s evolving economic landscape.
Population and Demographics
Gambia’s population is estimated at approximately 2.8 million as of 2025, according to UN Population Division projections, making it one of the most densely populated countries on the African continent relative to its land area of roughly 11,300 square kilometres. The annual population growth rate sits at approximately 2.8 to 3.0 percent, reflecting persistently high fertility rates that continue to shape long-term labour market and public service planning. The median age is estimated at around 18 to 19 years, underscoring an exceptionally young demographic profile that presents both a future dividend opportunity and an immediate pressure on education and employment systems. Urbanisation is advancing steadily, with World Bank estimates suggesting that roughly 63 to 65 percent of the population now lives in urban or peri-urban areas, concentrated heavily around the Greater Banjul Area. This urban concentration drives demand for housing, utilities, and digital services, while rural communities in the interior remain significantly underserved across most development indicators.
Economic Indicators
Gambia’s GDP is estimated at approximately 2.2 to 2.4 billion USD in current prices for 2024 to 2025, based on World Bank and IMF Article IV consultation data. GDP per capita stands at roughly 800 to 900 USD, placing the country firmly within the low-income category. Real GDP growth has been moderately positive in recent years, with IMF projections for 2024 and 2025 pointing to growth in the range of 5 to 6 percent, supported by a recovery in tourism, remittance inflows, and public investment. Inflation has been a persistent challenge; consumer price inflation was running at approximately 14 to 17 percent in 2023 and 2024, driven by food price pressures and imported inflation linked to global commodity markets, though the trajectory was expected to ease gradually through 2025. The national currency, the Gambian Dalasi (GMD), has experienced depreciation pressure against major trading currencies. Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, remains structurally elevated, with industry estimates suggesting rates above 20 percent among young people aged 15 to 35. Public debt as a share of GDP has been a concern flagged by the IMF, with debt-to-GDP ratios estimated at roughly 70 to 80 percent in recent years, though the government’s medium-term fiscal consolidation programme aims to bring this to a more sustainable trajectory.
Trade and External Accounts
Gambia runs a persistent and significant current account deficit, reflecting its heavy dependence on imports relative to a narrow export base. Top merchandise exports include groundnuts and groundnut products, fish and seafood, and re-exported goods facilitated by Gambia’s role as a regional trading hub for goods moving into Senegal and Guinea-Bissau. Cashew nuts have grown in export significance in recent years. On the import side, food products, fuel, machinery, and manufactured goods dominate. Key trading partners include Senegal, China, India, the European Union — particularly the United Kingdom and the Netherlands — and other ECOWAS member states. Remittances from the Gambian diaspora, concentrated in Europe and North America, represent a critical external inflow estimated at several hundred million USD annually, often exceeding foreign direct investment and rivalling official development assistance in scale. The current account deficit is partly offset by these remittance flows and by tourism receipts, though the overall external position remains vulnerable to external shocks.
Key Sectors
Agriculture remains foundational to Gambia’s economy and rural livelihoods, employing a large share of the working population. Groundnut cultivation has historically been the backbone of the agricultural sector, though diversification into horticulture, rice, and cashew production is ongoing. The sector is vulnerable to rainfall variability and climate shocks, a risk that is intensifying under observed climate trends in the Sahel region. Tourism is arguably Gambia’s most strategically significant growth sector, with the country’s Atlantic coastline, winter sun climate, and wildlife assets attracting visitors primarily from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Scandinavia. The sector was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic but has shown meaningful recovery, with visitor numbers and hotel occupancy rates improving through 2023 and 2024. Services broadly — including trade, transport, and financial services — account for the largest share of GDP. Industry and manufacturing remain underdeveloped, contributing a relatively small share of economic output, though agro-processing and construction represent areas of incremental growth. Fishing is economically and nutritionally significant, though concerns about illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by foreign fleets have been raised by regional bodies.
Telecommunications and Digital
Gambia’s telecommunications sector has expanded considerably over the past decade, driven by mobile network rollout and increasing smartphone affordability. Mobile penetration is estimated at roughly 100 to 110 percent of the population on a SIM-card basis, reflecting multi-SIM usage, according to ITU and GSMA data for 2024. Internet penetration, however, remains lower, with estimates suggesting that approximately 30 to 40 percent of the population has active internet access, with significant urban-rural disparities. The dominant mobile operators include Africell, which holds a leading market position, and Gamcel, the state-owned operator. Qcell is also an active player in the market. Mobile money services have gained traction as a financial inclusion tool, with platforms enabling transfers, bill payments, and merchant transactions for populations that remain largely unbanked in the formal sense. The government’s digital economy agenda, supported by development partners, aims to expand broadband infrastructure and e-government services, though fibre connectivity and reliable electricity supply remain binding constraints on faster digital growth.
Sources and Methodology
The data and estimates presented in this dashboard draw on a range of authoritative international and regional sources. Primary sources include the World Bank’s World Development Indicators and Open Data platform, IMF Article IV consultation reports and World Economic Outlook databases, UN Population Division projections, the International Telecommunication Union’s ICT statistics, and GSMA Intelligence mobile market data. Regional context is informed by African Union Commission publications and ECOWAS statistical frameworks. Where Gambia’s National Bureau of Statistics has published national accounts or survey data, these inform the estimates presented. Given the limitations of statistical capacity in low-income economies and the time lags inherent in official data publication cycles, several figures are presented as approximations or ranges rather than precise point estimates. Readers are encouraged to consult primary source databases directly for the most current revisions. This dashboard reflects the best available reference data as of late 2024 and early 2025, analysed from a 2026 perspective.
For deeper qualitative and geopolitical analysis of Gambia’s development trajectory, governance environment, and investment landscape, visit our Gambia expert briefing. To benchmark Gambia against other African nations across comparable indicators, explore our full library of all African country statistics. For broader thematic coverage of growth, trade, and structural transformation across the continent, see our African economy pillar.
