: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year
term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 26
September 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH elected president; percent
of vote--Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.5%, Ousainou DARBOE 35.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45
elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the president; all for
five-year terms)
elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be
held NA 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
Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS
note--in August 1996 the government banned the following from
participation in the elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party
President Sheriff DIBBA] and the Gambian People's Party or GPP

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, UN Security Council (temporary),
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Crispin GREY-JOHNSON
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador George W. HALEY
embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul
mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue
with white edges, and green

Economy

Economy--overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other
natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of
the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.
Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of
peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a
major segment of economic activity, but the 50% devaluation of the
CFA franc in January 1994 made Senegalese goods more competitive and
hurt the reexport trade. The Gambia has benefited from a rebound in
tourism after its decline in response to the military's takeover in
July 1994. Short-run economic progress remains highly depe