Short facts about the government of Gambia
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Republic of The Gambia
conventional
short form: The Gambia |
| Government
type: |
republic under multiparty democratic
rule |
| Administrative divisions: |
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Lower
River, Central River, North Bank, Upper River,
Western |
| Independence: |
18 February 1965 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 18 February
(1965) |
| Constitution: |
24 April 1970; suspended July 1994;
rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished in
January 1997 |
| Legal
system: |
based on a composite of English common
law, Koranic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice
President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice President Isatou
Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the
president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote for
a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 26
September 1996 (next to be held NA October 2001)
election
results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH elected president; percent of vote - Yahya
A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.8%, Ousainou DARBOE
35.8% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral National Assembly (49 seats;
45 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the president; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last popular election held 2 January
1997 (next to be held NA January 2002)
election results: percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - APRC 33, UDP 7, NRP 2, PDOIS 1,
independents 2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme
Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation
and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; National Reconciliation Party
or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and
Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou
DARBOE]
note: in August 1996 the government banned the following
from participation in the elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP
[former President Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties - the
National Convention Party or NCP [former Vice President Sheriff DIBBA] and the
Gambian People's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa
CAMARA] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John P. BOJANG
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155
15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202)
785-1399
FAX: [1] (202)
785-1430 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador George W. B. HALEY
embassy: Fajara,
Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19,
Banjul
telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391970,
391971
FAX: [220] 392475 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal horizontal bands of red
(top), blue with white edges, and green | Source: World Factbook |
