The demographic characteristics of the population of The Gambia are known through national censuses, conducted in ten-year intervals and analyzed by The Gambian Bureau of Statistics (GBOS) since 1963. The latest census was conducted in 2013. The population of The Gambia at the 2013 census was 1.8 million. The population density is 176.1 per square kilometer, and the overall life expectancy in The Gambia is 64.1 years. Since the first census of 1963, the population of The Gambia has increased every ten years by an average of 43.2 percent. Since 1950s, the birth rate has constantly exceeded the death rate; the natural growth rate is positive. The Gambia is in the second stage of demographic transition. In terms of age structure, The Gambia is dominated by 15- to 24-year-old segment (57.6%). The median age of the population is 19.9 years, and the gender ratio of the total population is 0.98 males per female.

Population

With a population of 1.88 million in 2013, The Gambia ranks 149th in the world by population. Its population density is . The overall life expectancy in The Gambia is 64.1 years. The total fertility rate of 3.98 is one of the highest in the world. Since 1950, the United Nations (UN) estimated the birth rate exceeds the death rate. The Gambia Bureau of Statistics (GBOS) estimates the population of The Gambia is expected to reach 3.6 million in 20 years. The population of The Gambia has increased each census, starting with 315 thousand in 1963 to 1.8 million in 2013. The GBOS predicted the reason for the increase from 2003 to 2013 was more coverage in the latter census compared to the former's.

Vital statistics Registration of vital events in Gambia is not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. Mid-year populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rate (TFR)Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)Life expectancy (in years)1950 307,000 15,000 10,000 5,00049.632.217.46.35174.031.761951 315,000 16,000 10,000 6,00050.131.818.46.35173.131.871952 323,000 16,000 10,000 6,00050.531.519.06.35171.632.081953 331,000 17,000 10,000 6,00050.731.219.56.35170.132.431954 340,000 17,000 11,000 7,00050.931.119.86.34168.832.671955 349,000 18,000 11,000 7,00051.030.920.06.33167.632.881956 359,000 18,000 11,000 7,00051.030.920.26.32166.533.051957 368,000 19,000 11,000 8,00051.030.420.66.30163.833.531958 378,000 19,000 11,000 8,00051.029.921.16.29161.034.081959 389,000 20,000 11,000 8,00050.929.421.46.27158.434.591960 400,000 20,000 12,000 9,00050.728.921.86.25155.835.101961 411,000 21,000 12,000 9,00050.628.522.16.23153.335.571962 422,000 21,000 12,000 9,00050.428.122.36.21150.935.991963 434,000 22,000 12,000 10,00050.127.622.56.20148.636.501964 446,000 22,000 12,000 10,00049.827.122.66.20146.336.951965 459,000 23,000 12,000 10,00049.426.622.86.19143.937.451966 472,000 23,000 12,000 11,00048.926.122.86.18141.637.901967 485,000 24,000 12,000 11,00048.625.623.06.21139.338.431968 499,000 24,000 13,000 12,00048.425.123.26.22137.038.871969 514,000 25,000 13,000 12,00048.224.723.56.25134.739.351970 529,000 25,000 13,000 13,00047.924.223.76.26132.439.871971 544,000 26,000 13,000 13,00047.823.724.06.28130.140.351972 561,000 27,000 13,000 14,00047.823.224.66.32127.740.921973 577,000 28,000 13,000 14,00047.822.824.96.37125.341.391974 595,000 28,000 13,000 15,00047.622.425.26.38122.941.951975 613,000 29,000 14,000 15,00047.422.125.36.41120.442.441976 632,000 30,000 14,000 16,00047.321.825.56.43117.943.041977 652,000 31,000 14,000 17,00047.121.625.56.43115.543.441978 673,000 31,000 14,000 17,00046.921.525.46.42114.043.581979 695,000 32,000 14,000 18,00046.820.925.96.41110.944.561980 719,000 33,000 15,000 19,00046.720.626.26.40108.545.151981 743,000 35,000 16,000 19,00046.721.025.86.40106.144.481982 768,000 36,000 15,000 21,00046.819.826.96.39103.746.381983 796,000 37,000 15,000 22,00046.619.527.16.38101.246.921984 825,000 38,000 16,000 22,00046.519.127.46.3798.747.491985 856,000 40,000 16,000 24,00046.418.627.86.3496.148.191986 889,000 41,000 16,000 25,00046.418.128.36.3393.648.711987 924,000 42,000 16,000 26,00046.217.628.76.2991.149.411988 961,000 44,000 16,000 28,00046.117.129.06.2688.750.051989 1,000,000 46,000 17,000 29,00045.816.629.26.2486.350.641990 1,041,000 47,000 17,000 31,00045.716.129.66.2284.051.321991 1,084,000 49,000 17,000 32,00045.615.530.16.1781.852.131992 1,127,000 51,000 17,000 34,00045.415.030.46.1179.552.941993 1,168,000 53,000 17,000 36,00045.114.430.76.0477.353.751994 1,206,000 54,000 17,000 38,00045.013.731.36.0475.054.721995 1,242,000 56,000 16,000 39,00044.713.231.56.0172.855.461996 1,279,000 57,000 16,000 40,00044.312.831.55.9670.656.011997 1,317,000 58,000 17,000 42,00044.112.631.55.9268.756.061998 1,356,000 60,000 17,000 43,00044.112.331.85.9366.356.551999 1,396,000 61,000 17,000 44,00043.612.031.65.8764.556.822000 1,438,000 62,000 17,000 45,00043.111.831.35.8062.156.942001 1,479,000 64,000 17,000 46,00042.911.731.25.7560.157.042002 1,522,000 65,000 18,000 47,00042.511.630.95.7358.157.082003 1,566,000 66,000 18,000 49,00042.311.231.05.7056.157.592004 1,612,000 68,000 18,000 51,00042.210.831.45.7154.258.092005 1,660,000 70,000 18,000 53,00042.110.631.65.7252.458.392006 1,711,000 73,000 17,000 55,00042.410.132.25.7650.559.062007 1,765,000 74,000 17,000 57,00042.19.932.25.7348.759.392008 1,821,000 76,000 17,000 59,00041.89.432.35.7147.060.082009 1,878,000 78,000 17,000 61,00041.59.232.35.6945.460.432010 1,937,000 80,000 17,000 62,00041.18.932.15.6743.960.722011 1,998,000 81,000 17,000 64,00040.78.532.25.6442.361.532012 2,061,000 83,000 17,000 66,00040.18.232.05.5940.962.102013 2,125,000 84,000 17,000 67,00039.48.131.35.5139.562.112014 2,189,000 84,000 17,000 67,00038.57.930.65.4238.262.272015 2,253,000 85,000 17,000 67,00037.67.729.85.3136.962.492016 2,317,000 85,000 17,000 68,00036.67.529.15.2035.763.012017 2,381,000 85,000 18,000 68,00035.77.428.35.0934.563.002018 2,445,000 85,000 18,000 68,00034.97.327.64.9733.463.042019 2,509,000 86,000 18,000 69,00034.37.027.34.8732.463.762020 2,516,000 79,000 17,000 62,00031.56.824.74.2532.564.42021 2,576,000 80,000 18,000 62,00031.27.024.24.1731.563.82022 2,636,000 81,000 17,000 64,00030.86.624.14.0830.564.92023 2,698,000 82,000 17,000 65,00030.46.324.14.0129.565.9

Demographic and Health Surveys

Sources:

Fertility Rate TFR (Wanted Fertility Rate) and CBR (Crude Birth Rate): Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural) 2013 40.5 5.6 (4.7) 37.7 4.7 (4.1) 43.4 6.8 (5.6)2019-20 34.4 4.4 (4.0) 32.5 3.9 (3.6) 38.9 5.9 (5.3)

Structure of the population (DHS 2013) (males 23,904, females 25,649, total 49,553) : Age groupMale (%)Female (%)Total (%) 0–4 18.5 16.4 17.4 5–9 16.6 15.3 15.9 10–14 12.8 12.5 12.6 15–19 10.3 10.4 10.3 20–24 8.5 9.1 8.8 25–29 6.8 8.0 7.4 30–34 5.5 6.5 6.0 35–39 4.5 4.7 4.6 40–44 3.8 3.3 3.5 45–49 2.9 2.4 2.6 50–54 2.1 4.1 3.1 55–59 1.5 1.9 1.7 60–64 2.3 1.9 2.1 65–69 1.5 1.2 1.3 70–74 1.0 0.9 1.0 75–79 0.7 0.5 0.6 80+ 0.8 1.0 0.9 Age groupMale (%)Female (%)Total (%) 0–14 47.9 44.2 45.9 15–64 48.1 52.2 50.3 65+ 4.0 3.6 3.8

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (30.XII.2015) (Source: Integrated Household Survey (IHS) 2015/2016.): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 915 357 1 007 593 1 922 950 100 0–4 155 654 155 502 311 156 16.18 5–9 150 122 147 966 298 089 15.50 10–14 115 261 113 727 228 988 11.91 15–19 87 274 111 093 198 367 10.32 20–24 76 050 104 429 180 479 9.39 25–29 62 431 89 237 151 669 7.89 30–34 57 532 70 222 127 754 6.64 35–39 49 913 59 248 109 161 5.68 40–44 39 032 42 666 81 698 4.25 45–49 32 235 29 522 61 757 3.21 50–54 27 286 25 441 52 727 2.74 55–59 18 075 17 685 35 759 1.86 60–64 16 034 14 121 30 155 1.57 65+ 28 457 26 734 55 191 2.87Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 421 037 417 195 838 232 43.59 15–64 465 863 563 664 1 029 527 53.54 65+ 28 457 26 734 55 191 2.87

Fertility data as of 2019-20 (DHS Program):

Local Government Area Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49 Banjul 3.1 5.3 4.2 Kanifing 3.3 5.7 4.5 Brikama 4.1 6.9 5.7 Mansakonko 5.4 9.7 7.1 Kerewan 5.4 8.2 6.9 Kuntaur 6.4 11.9 7.2 Janjanbureh 5.7 8.7 7.0 Basse 5.7 9.6 6.5

Life expectancy PeriodLife expectancy in Years1950–195530.241955–1960 31.521960–1965 32.791965–1970 35.781970–1975 40.041975–1980 44.211980–1985 48.201985–1990 51.331990–1995 52.851995–2000 54.912000–2005 56.922005–2010 58.832010–2015 60.31

Ethnic groups

+ Population of Gambia according to ethnic group 1973-2023 Ethnicgroup census 1973 census 1983 census 1993 census 2003 census 2013 census 2023 Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Mandinka/Jahanka 186,241 42.3 251,997 40.8 353,840 39.5 446,914 35.9 600,165 34.4 793,300 34.4 Fula/Tukulor/Lorobo 79,994 18.2 117,092 19.0 168,284 18.8 272,54 21.9 420,206 24.1 576,500 25.0 Wolof 69,291 15.7 84,404 13.7 130,546 14.6 179,890 14.5 258,065 14.8 355,100 15.4 Jola 41,988 9.5 64,494 10.4 95,262 10.6 141,360 11.4 182,807 10.5 219,100 9.5 Sarahule 38,478 8.7 51,137 8.3 79,690 8.9 101,347 8.1 142,606 8.2 189,100 8.2 Serere 9,229 2.1 15,511 2.5 24,710 2.8 37,979 3.1 53,567 3.1 66,900 2.9 Krio (Creole) 5,596 1.3 10,741 1.7 7,458 0.8 24,492 2.0 8,477 0.5 9,200 0.4 Manjago 1,722 0.4 3,035 0.5 6,194 0.7 13,043 1.0 32,408 1.9 39,200 1.7 Bambara 4,386 1.0 5,032 0.8 16,550 1.8 6,556 0.5 22,583 1.3 27,700 1.2 Other/not stated 3,791 0.9 13,796 2.2 13,601 1.5 19,938 1.6 25,548 1.5 30,000 1.3 Total 440,716 617,239 896,135 1,243,873 1,746,432 2,306,066 The figures refer to the Gambian population only. Foreigners are excluded.

See also Languages of the Gambia Religion in the Gambia

References

References