Research Africa > West of Africa > Gambia > Politics

Politics        0  632 reads

1) Government
 

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Administrative divisions
5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North Bank, Upper River, Western
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador No representation
Capital city Banjul
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 13 27 N, 16 34 W
Capital city > Name Banjul
Capital city > Time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Head of Government Yahya Jammeh
Commonwealth Heads of Government > Current Heads > Title President
Constitution
approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997
Copyright > Reference Copyright Act 1956 (p)
Corruption 2.7 [103rd of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection 50 pma
CPIA equity of public resource use rating 3 [63rd of 75]
CPIA quality of public administration rating 3 [27th of 75]
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Barry L. WELLS
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy
Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [220] 439-2475
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone
[220] 439-2856, 437-6169, 437-6170
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery
Suite 600, 1424 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Abdul Rahman COLE
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 785-1379
Elections > Head of state Direct election
Executive branch > Cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the president
Executive branch > Chief of state
President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); note - from 1994 to 1996 he was chairman of the Junta; Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Executive branch > Election results
Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 67.3%, Ousainou DARBOE 26.6%, Halifa SALLAH 6.0%
Executive branch > Elections
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 22 September 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Executive branch > Head of government
President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice President Isatou NJIE-SAIDY (since 20 March 1997)
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green
Flag modification 18 [97th of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment October 16, 1998
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth 1.19 % [94th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ 71,350,760 constant 2000 US$ [128th of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita) 48.286 constant 2000 US$ per c [113rd of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU 312153400
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU 1331200000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ 44,329,000 $ [156th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP) 0.111 $ per $1 of GDP [124th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita) 29.999 $ per capita [144th of 184]
Government type republic
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom Philip Sinkinson
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type High Commission
Independence
18 February 1965 (from UK)
Independence Day > Date February 18
International organization participation
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Supreme Court
Legal system
based on a composite of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 members elected by popular vote, 5 appointed by the president; to serve five-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APRC 47, UDP 4, NADD 1, independent 1
Legislative branch > Elections
last held 25 January 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 7.31 % [12th of 38]
National holiday
Independence Day, 18 February
Parliamentary seats > Female 2% [133rd of 143]
Partners in Population and Development > Representatives > Name
 H.E. Mrs. Isatou Njie-Saidy
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint 2.09 % [14th of 38]
political parties > Dominant party •
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC (the ruling party) [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambia People's Democratic Party or GPDP [Henry GOMEZ]; National Alliance for Democracy and Development or NADD [Halifa SALLAH]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; 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]
Political parties and leaders > A note
in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996
Political pressure groups and leaders
National Environment Agency or NEA; West African Peace Building Network-Gambian Chapter or WANEB-GAMBIA; Youth Employment Network Gambia or YENGambia
Political pressure groups and leaders > Other
special needs group advocates; teachers and principals
Procedures to build a warehouse > number 17 [86th of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita) 11.206 per 1 million people [32nd of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number 26 [122nd of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita) 17.138 per 1 million people [37th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number 5 [114th of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita) 3,295.807 per 1 billion people [33rd of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > % 13.2 % [94th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number 8 [112nd of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita) 5.273 per 1 million people [35th of 171]
Status pseudo-democracy
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days 145 days [117th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days 247 days [150th of 171]
Time required to register property > days 371 days [7th of 167]
Time required to start a business > days 27 days [111st of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours 376 hours [44th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years 3 years [68th of 151]
Trademarks, nonresidents 205 [74th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita) 265.268 per 1 million people [70th of 146]
Trademarks, residents 2 [75th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita) 2.588 per 1 million people [133rd of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International
attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African states
UN membership date 21 Sep. 1965
United Nations mission
http://www.gambia.com/


SOURCES
All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; Wikipedia: List of Ambassadors from Finland ; CIA World Factbook, 14 June, 2007 ; Wikipedia: Commonwealth Heads of Government ; Wikipedia: List of countries' copyright length ; Transparency International; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Elections by country ; Flagspot; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia ; Wikipedia: Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom ; Wikipedia: Independence Day ; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook; Wikipedia: Partners in Population and Development ; Wikipedia: List of political parties ; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; electionworld.org; Wisconsin High School Model United Nations

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Gambia, The, Republic of The Gambia, The Gambia, gambia

Democracy
 

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Civil and political liberties 1 [121st of 140]
CPIA gender equality rating 3.5 [27th of 75]
CPIA policies for social inclusion/equity cluster average 3.1 [49th of 75]
CPIA property rights and rule-based governance rating 3.5 [24th of 75]
CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average 2.9 [49th of 75]
CPIA transparency, accountability, and corruption in the public sector rating 2 [70th of 75]
Electoral system first-past-the-post
Electoral system type plurality
Female candidacy 1,960 [40th of 161]
Female ministers 5.8% [100th of 125]
Female parliamentarians 2% [149th of 157]
Female suffrage 1960
First female parliamentarian 1982 (elected)
Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 1.05686989962128 [7th of 183]
Homosexuality laws of the world > Homosexuality laws > Laws against homosexuality Yes
Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 73.2% [63rd of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Total vote 307,856 [124th of 154]
Parliamentary elections > Turnout 56.7 [76th of 117]
Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 420,507 [123rd of 152]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 542,850 [127th of 163]
Parliamentary elections > Voting age population (per capita) 340.345 per 1,000 people [155th of 162]
Presidential elections > Registered voter turnout 80% [21st of 86]
Presidential elections > Total vote 394,537 [77th of 87]
Presidential elections > Turnout 72.7 [33rd of 82]
Presidential elections > Voter registration 493,171 [78th of 86]
Presidential elections > Voting age population 542,850 [82nd of 91]
Presidential elections > Voting age population (per capita) 340.345 per 1,000 people [89th of 91]


SOURCES
 Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; World Development Indicators database; No comment is being made on the state of democracy. Categorizations are based on the electoral law, or the last competitive election held; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva.; Source: Millennium Development Goals Database | United Nations Statistics Division; Wikipedia: Homosexuality laws of the world ; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003

ALTERNATIVE NAMES
Gambia, The, Republic of The Gambia, The Gambia, gambia

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