Filed under Africa and more precisely Western Africa, the Gambia is a sovereign state. In formal use it is Republic of the Gambia. Banjul is the capital.
Around 2.8 million people live there, placing it 142nd of 250 by population — between Jamaica above it and Gabon below. Within Western Africa alone it is the 15th largest of 17 and the 14th most populous.
By land area it covers 10,689 km², which ranks it 169th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Kosovo and just ahead of Lebanon. For scale, it is almost exactly the same size as Jamaica.
Location, borders and position
The coordinates the dataset gives are 13.5° N, 16.6° W, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 1,499 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.
Sudan, Chad and Yemen sit at almost exactly the same latitude on other parts of the globe.
1 country shares a land border with it: Senegal.
Unlike its landlocked neighbours it reaches the sea directly, while also sharing land frontiers.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, population and language
Density comes out at around 258 people per square kilometre, which makes it densely populated. For comparison, the median entry on this list sits near 90 per square kilometre.
English is the only official language. English is one of the widely shared official languages here, listed by 90 other entries including American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda and Australia.
People from the Gambia are called Gambians.
Inside Africa it places 42nd of 59 by population, and it accounts for under 1% of everyone living in Western Africa.
Currency, domain and dialling code
Money there is the dalasi (D, GMD). It shares that currency with.
Websites there use the .gm domain. Calls from overseas start with +220. Its ISO codes are gm and GMB, which is what most databases and flag files use.
Banjul is the seat of government and the answer most quizzes are looking for.
As a sovereign state it is among the 193 UN members listed here. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
Gambia shares borders with 1 country:
Fun facts about Gambia
- Population density works out at roughly 258 people per square kilometre.
- It lies about 1,499 km from the equator, in tropical latitudes.
- Within Western Africa it is the 15th largest of 17.
- People from the Gambia are known as Gambians.
- In land area it is almost exactly the same size as Jamaica.
- It shares land borders with 1 country: Senegal.
- Its capital city is Banjul.
Gambia — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of the Gambia?
- The capital of the Gambia is Banjul.
- Which countries border the Gambia?
- The Gambia borders 1 country: Senegal.
- How big is the Gambia?
- The Gambia covers 10,689 km², ranking 169th of 250 by land area. That makes it almost exactly the same size as Jamaica.
- What currency does the Gambia use?
- The Gambia uses the dalasi, written D (currency code GMD).
- Is the Gambia a country?
- Yes. The Gambia is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- What is the population of the Gambia?
- The Gambia has a population of about 2.8 million, which makes it the 142nd most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Jamaica sits just above it and Gabon just below.
- What language is spoken in the Gambia?
- The official language of the Gambia is English. It is also official in 90 other entries on this list.
- Where is the Gambia located?
- The Gambia is in Western Africa, part of Africa. Its reference coordinates are 13.5° north and 16.6° west, roughly 1,499 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.
