About 90 percent of the people of The Gambia are Muslim; 9 percent are Christian; and 1 percent follows traditional religions. English is the official language, but each ethnic group has its own language.

Population of Gambia

A wide variety of ethnic groups live side by side in The Gambia while preserving individual languages and traditions. The population comprises the Mandinka (also known as Mandingo or Malinke), the largest ethnic group (representing about 42 percent of Gambia’s inhabitants); the Fulani (about 18 percent), who predominate in the eastern part of the country; the Wolof (about 16 percent), who live mainly in Banjul and the western region; the Jola (about 10 percent), who live in the western region; the Serahuli (about 9 percent), whose rulers introduced Islam into the region in the 12th century and who are primarily traders and nomads; and the small Aku community, partly descended from liberated slaves. In 2000, 32 percent of the population lived in urban areas.

Population Demographics in Gambia

The population of The Gambia (2002 estimate) is 1,455,842, making it one of the least populous countries of Africa. Still, the country has an overall population density of 129 persons per sq km (334 per sq mi), and the population is increasing at a rate of 3.1 percent a year. Banjul, formerly called Bathurst, is the capital and only seaport. The largest city is Serrekunda.

Primary education in The Gambia is free but not compulsory.

In the 1998-1999 school year 150,400 children were enrolled in primary school (81 percent of this age group), while 47,100 were enrolled in a secondary school (31 percent of secondary school-aged children). The country’s institutions of higher education include The Gambia College, in Brikama, and several technical and training schools.