A wide variety of ethnic groups live in The Gambia with a minimum of intertribal friction, each preserving its own language and traditions. The Mandinka tribe is the largest, followed by the Fula, Wolof, Jola, and Serahule. Approximately 3,500 non-Africans live in The Gambia, including Europeans and families of Lebanese origin.

Muslims constitute more than 95% of the population. Christians of different denominations account for most of the remainder. Gambians officially observe the holidays of both religions and practice religious tolerance.

More than 63% of Gambians live in rural villages (1993 census), although more and more young people come to the capital in search of work and education. Provisional figures from the 2003 census show that the gap between the urban and rural populations is narrowing as more areas are declared urban. While urban migration, development projects, and modernization are bringing more Gambians into contact with Western habits and values, the traditional emphasis on the extended family, as well as indigenous forms of dress and celebration, remain integral parts of everyday life.

The Gambia was once part of the Empire of Ghana and the Kingdom of the Songhais. The first written accounts of the region come from records of Arab traders in the 9th and 10th centuries A.D. Arab traders established the trans-Saharan trade route for slaves, gold, and ivory. In the 15th century, the Portuguese took over this trade using maritime routes. At that time, The Gambia was part of the Kingdom of Mali.

In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, Antonio, Prior of Crato, sold exclusive trade rights on The Gambia River to English merchants; this grant was confirmed by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I. In 1618, King James I granted a charter to a British company for trade with The Gambia and the Gold Coast (now Ghana).

During the late 17th century and throughout the 18th, England and France struggled continuously for political and commercial supremacy in the regions of the Senegal and Gambia Rivers. The 1783 Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of The Gambia, but the French retained a tiny enclave at Albreda on the north bank of the river, which was ceded to the United Kingdom in 1857.

As many as 3 million slaves may have been taken from the region during the three centuries that the transatlantic slave trade operated. It is not known how many slaves were taken by Arab traders prior to and simultaneous with the transatlantic slave trade. Most of those taken were sold to Europeans by other Africans; some were prisoners of intertribal wars; some were sold because of unpaid debts, while others were kidnapped. Slaves were initially sent to Europe to work as servants until the market for labor expanded in the West Indies and North America in the 18th century. In 1807, slave trading was abolished throughout the British Empire, and the British tried unsuccessfully to end the slave traffic in The Gambia. They established the military post of Bathurst (now Banjul) in 1816. In the ensuing years, Banjul was at times under the jurisdiction of the British governor general in Sierra Leone. In 1888, The Gambia became a separate colonial entity.

An 1889 agreement with France established the present boundaries, and The Gambia became a British Crown Colony, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). The Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901 and gradually progressed toward self-government. A 1906 ordinance abolished slavery.

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies in Burma. Banjul served as an air stop for the U.S. Army Air Corps and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference in 1943, marking the first visit to the African Continent by an American president while in office.

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform quickened. Following general elections in 1962, full internal self-government was granted in 1963. The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within the British Commonwealth. Shortly thereafter, the government proposed conversion from a monarchy to a republic with an elected president replacing the British monarch as chief of state. The proposal failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to The Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, and civil rights and liberties. On April 24, 1970, The Gambia became a republic following a referendum.

Until a military coup in July 1994, The Gambia was led by President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the Jawara era was first broken by a violent, unsuccessful coup attempt in 1981. The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, who, on two occasions, had unsuccessfully sought election to parliament. After a week of violence which left several hundred dead, President Jawara, in London when the attack began, appealed to Senegal for help. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force.

In the aftermath of the attempted coup, Senegal and The Gambia signed the 1982 Treaty of Confederation. The result, the Senegambia Confederation, aimed eventually to combine the armed forces of the two nations and to unify economies and currencies. The Gambia withdrew from the confederation in 1989.

In July 1994, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) seized power in a military coup d'etat, deposing the government of Sir Dawda Jawara. Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state.

The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The transition process included the compilation of a new electoral register, adoption of a new constitution by referendum in August 1996, and presidential and legislative elections in September 1996 and January 1997, respectively. Foreign observers did not deem these elections free and fair. Retired Col. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh was sworn into office as President of the Republic of The Gambia in November 1996. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in 1997 and became responsible for registration of voters and conduct of elections and referenda. In late 2001 and early 2002, The Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which foreign observers deemed free, fair, and transparent, albeit with some shortcomings. President Yahya Jammeh, who was re-elected, took the oath of office again on December 21, 2001. The APRC maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly, particularly after the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.

The Gambia has a liberal, market-based economy characterized by traditional subsistence agriculture, a historic reliance on groundnuts (peanuts) for export earnings, a re-export trade built up around its ocean port, low import duties, minimal administrative procedures, a fluctuating exchange rate with no exchange controls, and a significant tourism industry.

Agriculture accounts for 29% of gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 75% of the labor force. Within agriculture, peanut production accounts for 6.9% of GDP, other crops 8.3%, livestock 5.3%, fishing 1.8%, and forestry 0.5%. Industry accounts for 12% of GDP and forestry 0.5%. Manufacturing accounts for 5.5% of GDP. The limited amount of manufacturing is primarily agriculturally based (e.g., peanut processing, bakeries, a brewery, and a tannery). Other manufacturing activities include soap, soft drinks, and clothing. Services account for 19% of GDP.

The U.K. and other EU countries constitute The Gambia's major domestic export markets, accounting for 86% in total; followed by Asia at 14%; and the African subregion, including Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, and Ghana at 8%. The U.K. and the other EU countries--namely, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Belgium--were the major source of imports accounting for 60% of the total share of imports followed by Asia at 23%, and Cote d'Ivoire and other African countries at 17%. The Gambia reports 11% of its exports going to and 14.6% of its imports coming from the United States.

Petty street crime is a problem in The Gambia. Travelers should be careful of pickpockets in the crowded market areas and on ferries. Packages or luggage should never be left unattended, especially in taxis. Travelers should also be cautious of individuals who persistently offer unsolicited help.

Visitors and resident U.S. citizens have reported residential and automobile burglaries. All U.S. citizens in The Gambia should be careful not to leave valuables or identity documents unsecured in hotel rooms or cars. Although violent crime and armed robbery are not prevalent in The Gambia, long-term residents should consider hiring a security guard for their home to prevent burglary and theft.

"Confidence" scams long seen in other parts of western Africa are now on the rise in The Gambia. Con artists lure foreigners into business transactions for the purpose of obtaining their bank routing information, credit card number, or other personal data. They then use that information to impersonate the victims or obtain funds in their name. U.S. citizens should treat with suspicion any unsolicited offers to participate in lucrative business opportunities, especially if they require financial data, money transfers, large up-front investments, or promises of confidentiality.

There are known cases of foreigners' credit card numbers being sent abroad and their accounts accessed without their knowledge. U.S. citizens have also reported their credit and ATM card numbers stolen after purchases at local stores or withdrawals from ATM machines in The Gambia.

The crime rate in Gambia is low compared to industrialized countries. An analysis was done using INTERPOL data for Gambia. For purpose of comparison, data were drawn for the seven offenses used to compute the United States FBI's index of crime. Index offenses include murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. The combined total of these offenses constitutes the Index used for trend calculation purposes. Gambia will be compared with Japan (country with a low crime rate) and USA (country with a high crime rate). The most recent and only data available for COUNTRY are those submitted to INTERPOL for year 1995. According to the INTERPOL data, for murder, the rate in 1995 was 0.71 per 100,000 population for Gambia, 1.02 for Japan, and 8.22 for USA. For rape, the rate in 1995 was 0.53 for Gambia, compared with 1.19 for Japan and 37.09 for USA. For robbery, the rate in 1995 was 7.00 for Gambia, 1.81 for Japan, and 220.95 for USA. For aggravated assault, the rate in 1995 was 29.31 for Gambia, 13.92 for Japan, and 418.33 for USA. For burglary, the rate in 1995 was 20.10 for Gambia, 186.82 for Japan, and 987.61 for USA. The rate of larceny for 1995 was not stated for Gambia, but is 1035.44 for Japan, and 3044.9 for USA. The rate for motor vehicle theft in 1995 was 0.35 for Gambia, compared with 28.45 for Japan and 560.5 for USA. The rate for all index offenses combined was 58.0 for Gambia, compared with 1709.88 for Japan and 4123.97 for USA.

The Gambian Armed Forces reports to the Secretary of State (Minister) for Defense, a position held by the President. The police report to the Secretary of State for the Interior. The National Intelligence Agency (NIA), responsible for protecting state security, collecting intelligence, and conducting covert investigations, reports directly to the President. While civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were a few instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of government authority. Some members of the security forces committed human rights abuses.

The Constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, police and security forces at times arbitrarily arrested and detained citizens. Periods of detention generally ranged from a few hours to 72 hours, the legal limit after which detainees must be charged or released.

The police served under the Secretary of State for the Interior. The police generally were corrupt and on occasion acted with impunity and defied court orders.

The law requires that authorities obtain a warrant before arresting a person; however, on occasion individuals were arrested without a warrant. Detainees generally were permitted prompt access to family members and legal counsel.

The Government has not formally revoked military decrees enacted prior to the Constitution that give the NIA and the Secretary of State for the Interior broad power to detain individuals indefinitely without charge "in the interest of national security." The Constitution provides that decrees remain in effect unless inconsistent with constitutional provisions. These detention decrees appeared to be inconsistent with the Constitution, but they have not been subject to judicial challenge. The Government stated that it no longer enforced these decrees; however, in some instances, the Government did not respect the constitutional requirement that detainees be brought before a court within 72 hours. Detainees often were released after 72 hours and instructed to report to the police station or NIA headquarters periodically until their case went to trial.

During the year, there were cases of detentions that exceeded the 72-hour limit. Former National Assembly Majority Leader Baba Jobe, who was standing trial on charges of economic crimes, and several of his associates, were detained at various police stations in the country between 3 weeks and 2 months without charge. There were reports that, during part of his detention at the Police Training School, Baba Jobe was held incommunicado.

In October, three senior government officials were dismissed from their jobs for various reasons and detained for more than 72 hours. On October 13, Andrew Sylva was arrested and held for 8 days at the Mile 2 central prison and at the Serious Crime Unit at police Headquarters. Sylva had testified before the Anti-Corruption Commission of Inquiry that President Jammeh had taken a government-owned generator from a government-owned hotel for use at his private residence. On October 21, he was charged with perjury and granted bail. The trial was in progress at year's end.

On October 13, Tamsir Jasseh, the former Director of Immigration, was arrested and held for 5 days before being released without charge.

On October 15, Adama Deen, the former Managing Director of the Ports Authority, was arrested and held for 6 days. There were no charges brought against Deen by year's end.

In November, Kawsu Gibba, National Assembly Member for Foni Kansala; Momodou Lamin Nyassi, Chief of the same district; and seven others were arrested and accused of allegedly selling part of President Jammeh's supposed Ramadan gift of rice and sugar to the people of Foni Kansala. They were detained for more than 72 hours at the Serious Crime Unit and at Mile 2 Central Prison. On December 22, the charges were dropped.

There was a functioning bail system. However, on several occasions, the courts released accused offenders on bail, while the police or other law enforcement agencies rearrested the offenders upon their leaving the court. In November, police ignored a granting of bail in the case of businessman Momodou Jobe. Security guards at the State House arrested Jobe shortly after an audience with the President and took him to prison. He was held for several days before being brought to court to face charges of robbery and fraud. After Magistrate Mboto set Jobe free on bail, police re-arrested Jobe as he left the courthouse. There were no developments in this case by year's end.

Security forces at times briefly detained journalists and persons who publicly criticized the Government or who expressed views in disagreement with the Government.

On July 30, the high court acquitted Momodou Ousman Saho (known as Dumo), Ebrima Yarbo, and Ebrima Barrow of treason. They were the last of six persons, including two military officers, who were accused of plotting to harm the President and overthrow the Government.

The slow pace of the justice system resulted in detainees waiting long periods in pretrial detention. Approximately 40 of Mile 2 Prison's 230 inmates were in detention pending trial. Some have been incarcerated for more than 4 years without trial.

The Constitution provides for an independent judiciary; however, in practice, the courts, especially at the lower levels, were corrupt and subject to executive branch pressure at times. Nevertheless, the courts demonstrated independence on several occasions, including in significant cases.

The Constitution provides for a fair trial; however, the judicial system suffered from corruption, particularly at the lower levels, and from inefficiency at all levels. Many cases were not heard for months or years because the court system was overburdened and lacked the capacity to handle the high volume of cases. To alleviate the backlog and reduce the possibility of undue influence and corruption, the Government continued to recruit judges and magistrates from other Commonwealth countries who share a similar legal system. The Attorney General oversees the hiring of foreign judges on contract. The Government reserves the right not to renew a judge's contract. Foreign judges were generally less susceptible to corruption and executive branch pressure. Despite these steps, corruption in the legal system persisted.

The judicial system is composed of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, high courts, and eight magistrate courts. Village chiefs presided over local courts at the village level.

Trials are public, and defendants have the right to an attorney at their own expense. Defendants are presumed innocent, have the right to confront witnesses and evidence against them, present witnesses on their own behalf, and appeal judgment to a higher court.

The judicial system recognizes customary, Shari'a (Islamic law), and general law. Customary law covers marriage and divorce for non-Muslims, inheritance, land tenure, tribal and clan leadership, and other traditional and social relations. Shari'a was observed primarily in Muslim marriage and divorce matters; it favored men in its provisions. General law, following the British model, applied to felonies and misdemeanors in urban areas and to the formal business sector.

Persons have been held for extended periods pending trial.

The trial involving the leader of opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, and four others charged with the murder of ruling APRC party supporter Alieu Njie in 2000 began during the year. It was ongoing at year's end.

On January 26, the only known political prisoner, Lieutenant Sana Sabally, was freed from prison after completing a 9-year jail term for allegedly conspiring to assassinate the President in 1995.

Prison conditions at Mile 2, Janjanbureh, and Jeshwang prisons generally met international standards, and the Government permitted visits by independent human rights observers. However, an opposition politician, Lamin Waa Juwara, who was held spent 6 months at Mile 2 Central Prison, criticized the poor diet given to the inmates.

Local jails continued to experience overcrowding. Inmates, including detainees awaiting trial, occasionally had to sleep on the floor; they were provided with mats or blankets. Prison guards were reluctant to intervene in fights between prisoners, and some of the prisoners were injured.

Women were held separately from men. Juveniles were held separately from adults, and pretrial detainees were held separately from convicted prisoners. There was no separate section or facility for political prisoners.

The Government permitted independent monitoring of prison conditions by local and international human rights groups.

Domestic violence, including spousal abuse, was a problem. It was reported occasionally, and its occurrence was believed to be common. Police considered these incidents to be domestic issues outside of their ordinary jurisdiction. Rape, spousal rape, and assault are crimes under the law; rape was not common. The law against spousal rape was difficult to enforce effectively, as many did not consider spousal rape a crime and failed to report it.

The practice of FGM remained widespread and entrenched, although there were efforts by several NGOs to discourage the practice through public education. Between 60 and 90 percent of women have undergone FGM. Approximately seven of the nine major ethnic groups practiced FGM at ages varying from shortly after birth until age 16. FGM was less frequent among the educated and urban segments of those groups. There were unconfirmed reports of incidences of health related complications, including deaths, associated with the practice of FGM; however, no accurate statistics were available. The Government publicly supported efforts to eradicate FGM and discouraged it through health education; however, authorities have not passed legislation against FGM, which was not considered a criminal act. President Jammeh stated that the Government would not impose a ban on FGM, but his administration worked to convince traditional village leaders to abandon the practice. Practitioners of FGM and other types of circumcision in the country believed that Islam mandates it; however, at least one influential imam declared that Islam forbids such harmful customs.

Prostitution is illegal but was a problem, especially in the tourist areas. The Government expelled numerous foreign prostitutes. The 2003 Tourism Offences Act was passed to deal with increasing incidents of tourism-related offences, including sex tourism. The Act prohibits child prostitution, trafficking and pornography.

There are no laws against sexual harassment. Although individual instances have been noted, sexual harassment was not believed to be widespread.

Traditional views of women's roles resulted in extensive societal discrimination in education and employment. Employment in the formal sector was open to women at the same salary rates as men. No statutory discrimination existed in other kinds of employment; however, women generally were employed in such places as food vending or subsistence farming.

Shari'a law is applied in divorce and inheritance matters for Muslims, who make up more than 90 percent of the population. Women normally received a lower proportion of assets distributed through inheritance than did male relatives. The appropriate church and the Office of the Attorney General settled Christian and civil marriage and divorce matters.

Marriages often were arranged and, depending on the ethnic group, polygyny was practiced. Women in polygynous unions have property and other rights arising from the marriage. They have the option to divorce but not a legal right to approve or be notified in advance of subsequent marriages.

The Department of Women's Affairs, under the direction of the Vice President, oversees programs to ensure the legal rights of women. Active women's rights groups existed.

The Government was committed to children's welfare. The Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social Welfare were the two most generously funded government departments; however, lack of resources limited state provision of both education and health services.

The Constitution mandates free, compulsory primary education up to 8 years of age, but the state of the educational infrastructure prevented effective compulsory education, and children still must pay school fees. The Government estimated that in 2000, 60 percent of children were enrolled in primary school. Girls constituted approximately 40 percent of primary school students and roughly one-third of high school students. The enrollment of girls was low, particularly in rural areas where a combination of poverty and socio-cultural factors influenced parents' decisions not to send girls to school. The Government implemented a countrywide program to pay school fees for all girls.

Authorities generally intervened when cases of child abuse or mistreatment were brought to their attention; however, there was no societal pattern of abuse against children. Any person who has carnal knowledge of a girl under the age of 16 is guilty of a felony (except in the case of marriage, which can be as early as 12 years of age). Incest also is illegal. These laws generally were enforced. Serious cases of abuse and violence against children were subject to criminal penalties.

FGM was performed primarily on young girls. There were no developments in the 2002 case of forcible circumcision of a 13-year-old girl in Tanji village.

Trafficking of children for prostitution was a problem

Child labor was a problem.

The Child Protection Alliance (CPA), a consortium of various organizations (national and international) that promote the protection of children from abuse, conducted countrywide workshops for teachers on alternatives to corporal punishments, and awareness campaigns against sexual exploitation of children for community and religious leaders. In September, it held a 1-week police training on combating child sexual abuse and exploitation in travel and tourism for security officers.

The law does not comprehensively prohibit trafficking in persons, and trafficking occurred. The Government considered trafficking in persons to be a serious problem, initiated anti-trafficking legislation, and established a multi-agency trafficking in persons taskforce. The Government had not prosecuted anyone for trafficking by year's end.

In January, a joint UNICEF-government study reported that children engaged in prostitution in the main tourist resort areas were predominantly underage, some as young as 12. The report stated that the country has become an attraction for suspected or convicted European pedophiles that entered the country as tourists and committed their crimes against children silently and with impunity. Victims of trafficking were children of both sexes, normally younger than 16 to 18 years old, and included both citizens and immigrants or refugees from Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. The foreign children were war migrants without proper family support.

Some child prostitution victims stated they worked to support their families, or because they were orphans and their guardian/procurer supported them. The guardian/procurer often assumed the role of the African uncle, allowing the children to live in his compound with their younger siblings or paying school fees on their behalf in return for their servitude.

The country was a destination for trafficking victims. The number of persons, mostly children, trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation was small but growing. In February, the authorities rescued approximately 30 Ghanaian children trafficked for commercial labor and as domestic servants. Twelve of the children were sent back to Ghana, but the rest were returned to their biological parents in the country with whom they lived. The parents of the children may or may not have been themselves victims of trafficking. Most trafficking victims became prostitutes and beggars; a few became domestic servants. Trafficking victims mostly came from conflict-ravaged countries, such as Liberia and Sierra Leone. Victims from Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone told CPA that foreign residents obtained permission from their home country families to employ them as bar waitresses or domestic maids. After their arrival, the local employers informed them their duties entailed commercial sex work.

The country was also a point of origin and transit for trafficking. In previous years, there were reports of a few citizens being trafficked to Western Europe, as well as some Senegalese and Bissau-Guineans reportedly trafficked through the country to Western Europe, mostly to Scandinavia; however, there were no such reports during the year.

There was no evidence of government involvement at any level in trafficking in persons.

The Government had no established victim care and health facilities for trafficked persons; however, the Government provided temporary shelter and access to medical and psychological services to reported victims of trafficking.

The Government's Task Force on Trafficking in Persons consisted of members that represented various government agencies including Immigration, Police, National Intelligence Agency, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Social Welfare, and Trade and Industry as well as UNICEF, the National Assembly, and the CPA.

The Gambia does not have significant drug production, trafficking or use. However, cannabis is cultivated and consumed locally. The Gambia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention.

The Gambia is not a major center of drug production, trafficking, money laundering or production of precursor chemicals. Despite the fact that the counternarcotics squad of the national police has very limited resources, the police, together with military personnel, continued to seize large amounts of cannabis throughout the country in 2003. The National Drug Control Council (NDCC) coordinates The Gambia's fight against drug use and trafficking.

The Government of The Gambia has strict legislation against drug production, drug trafficking and money laundering, whether associated with the drug trade, terrorism or other illicit activity. The incidence of drug related offenses is still relatively low in the country. Gambian courts impose stiff mandatory sentences and fines, depending on the quantities involved.

Alarmed by the increased use of marijuana in the country, particularly in the tourism development area, the police counternarcotics squad, in collaboration with the national army, conducted a series of raids in furtherance of The Gambia's "War on Drugs." In December 2003 the police raided some youth gatherings in Brikama town and arrested more than 15 dealers who were reportedly trafficking in hard drugs in the area. In September, police in the provincial town of Farafenni reported that drug trafficking and consumption was on the rise in the northern part of the country. Some drug traffickers in the town were raided and large quantities of cannabis found in their possession. Also during the same month, a series of raids along the beach from Senegambia to Palma Rima (tourism development area) highlighted the government's determination to fight drug trafficking and use. A group of marijuana smokers were arrested along the beach after a tip-off from an informant. The police also conducted a nationwide counternarcotics campaign in May, coinciding with the 22nd anniversary of the death of Reggae artist Bob Marley. Men from the drug squad rounded up at least a dozen suspected cannabis dealers and smokers in different neighborhoods of Serrekunda, Bakau and Lamin. Similar arrests were also reported in other parts of the country on the same day.

Over 600 drug traffickers were charged and prosecuted in the courts in 2002, the last year for which statistics are available; and 1,232 kilograms of prohibited cannabis were destroyed by the NDCC that year.

As a matter of government policy and practice, The Gambia does not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of drugs or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug transactions.

The Gambia is a party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.

The Gambia will continue its tough policies on drugs, and the U.S. will stand ready to cooperate with The Gambia in this effort.

Internet research assisted by Jim Gutierrez