,439 m

_#_Telecommunications: adequate system of open-wire, radio relay,
tropospheric scatter links and radiocommunication stations; 13,800
telephones; stations--6 AM, 6 FM, 8 TV; satellite earth stations--2
Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 12 domestic satellite

_*_Defense Forces
_#_Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Presidential Guard, paramilitary
Gendarmerie, National Police

_#_Manpower availability: males 15-49, 266,472; 133,648 fit for
military service; 9,634 reach military age (20) annually

_#_Defense expenditures: $102 million, 3.2% of GDP (1990 est.)
_%_
_@_The Gambia
_*_Geography
_#_Total area: 11,300 km2; land area: 10,000 km2

_#_Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Delaware

_#_Land boundary: 740 km with Senegal

_#_Coastline: 80 km

_#_Maritime claims:

Contiguous zone: 18 nm;

Continental shelf: not specific;

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;

Territorial sea: 12 nm

_#_Disputes: short section of boundary with Senegal is indefinite

_#_Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
dry season (November to May)

_#_Terrain: flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

_#_Natural resources: fish

_#_Land use: arable land 16%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures
9%; forest and woodland 20%; other 55%; includes irrigated 3%

_#_Environment: deforestation

_#_Note: almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
continent of Africa

_*_People
_#_Population: 874,553 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 48 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 17 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 138 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 47 years male, 51 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 6.5 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Gambian(s); adjective--Gambian

_#_Ethnic divisions: African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%,
Jola 10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%); non-Gambian 1%

_#_Religion: Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

_#_Language: English (official); Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
indigenous vernaculars

_#_Literacy: 27% (male 39%, female 16%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 400,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 75.0%, industry,
commerce, and services 18.9%, government 6.1%; 5