The Gambia,officially the Republic of The Gambia and Gambia,is a country in West Africa. Geographically,Gambia is the smallest country in continental Africa;it is surrounded by Senegal,except for its western coast on the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated on both sides of the lower reaches of the Gambia River,which flows through the centre of the country and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The national namesake river demarcates the elongated shape of the country,which has an area of 11,300 square kilometres (4,400 sq mi) and a population of 2,468,569 people in 2024. The capital city is Banjul,which has the most extensive metropolitan area in the country;the second- and third-largest cities are Serekunda and Brikama.
Politics of The Gambia takes place within the framework of a presidential republic,whereby the President of The Gambia is both head of state and head of government,and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliaments.
Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is a Gambian politician and former military officer,who served as President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017,as well as Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council from 1994 to 1996.
Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara was a Gambian politician who served as Prime Minister from 1962 to 1970,and then as the first President of The Gambia from 1970 to 1994,when he was deposed.
The People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) is a socialist political party in the Gambia. Since 2005,it has been part of the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD). It was part of Coalition 2016 in the 2016 presidential election,whose candidate,Adama Barrow,defeated long-time incumbent Yahya Jammeh. The PDOIS also publishes a party newspaper,Foroyaa,which was noted for its opposition to the Jammeh regime.
The People's Progressive Party is a political party in the Gambia. It was the dominant ruling party of the House of Representatives and the presidency from 1962 to 1994. The president throughout this time period was Dawda Jawara. The People's Progressive Party lost power after the 1994 Gambian coup d'état,a military coup led by young,junior military officers. The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) then became the dominant party of the Gambia. The People's Progressive Party remains active,but lacking the same level of support it garnered in the 20th century.
Halifa Sallah is a retired Gambian politician and former National Assembly member for Serrekunda Constituency. He currently serves as the secretary-general of the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). He served as a spokesman and advisor to President Adama Barrow from during the 2016 presidential election campaign until March 2017.
Ousainou Darboe is a Gambian politician and leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP). He previously served as Vice-President of the Gambia and Minister of Women's Affairs from June 2018 to March 2019,under President Adama Barrow. He also served as President Barrow's Minister of Foreign Affairs from February 2017 to June 2018.
Isatou Touray is a Gambian politician,activist,and social reformer. A noted campaigner against female genital mutilation (FGM),she became the first female Gambian presidential candidate in 2016,before dropping out to endorse Adama Barrow and Coalition 2016. She then served in Barrow's cabinet,as trade minister,and then as health minister. On 15 March 2019,Touray became Vice-President of The Gambia,replacing her predecessor,Ousainou Darboe in a major cabinet reshuffle.
Gambia Coalition 2016 was the governing coalition of The Gambia in the late 2010s,consisting of seven Gambian political parties,civil society groups and one independent candidate created to field and support a unity ticket for the opposition in the 2016 presidential election. The coalition selected real estate developer and deputy treasurer of the United Democratic Party (UDP) Adama Barrow as their candidate. Barrow officially left the UDP to allow him to run as an independent candidate,although his candidacy continued to be supported by the UDP through its membership in the coalition.
The following lists events in the year 2017 in the Gambia.
Following his victory in the presidential election on 1 December 2016,the newly elected President Adama Barrow appointed a new cabinet to succeed the cabinet of Yahya Jammeh,his predecessor. Barrow was formally inaugurated on 19 January 2017 at the embassy of the Gambia in Dakar,Senegal,and was able to return the Gambia on 26 January. He made the bulk of appointments in February 2017,and conducted major reshuffles in June 2018,March 2019 and May 2022.
Omar Amadou Jallow was a Gambian politician who was the Minister of Agriculture in President Adama Barrow's cabinet. Jallow was also the leader of the People's Progressive Party,which held two seats in the National Assembly at the time of his death.
Mariam Jack-Denton,also known as Ajaratou Mariam Denton,is a Gambian lawyer and politician who served as Speaker of the National Assembly of the Gambia from April 2017 to April 2022.
Dawda Docka Fadera was a Gambian diplomat who served as ambassador to the United States from 2018 until his death. Prior to his appointment,he was Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary at the Personnel Management Office (PMO).
The minister of women's affairs is a cabinet-level position in the Gambia,typically held at the same time as another cabinet position. The ministry was created by Yahya Jammeh,as head of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council,in July 1996,and the position has only ever had two holders:Jammeh's vice-president,Isatou Njie-Saidy,and Adama Barrow's acting vice-president,Fatoumata Tambajang. Njie-Saidy had formerly served as executive secretary of the National Women's Bureau under Dawda Jawara,whereas Tambajang had been chair of the Gambia National Women's Council under Jawara.
Events in the year 2018 in the Gambia.
Presidential elections were held in the Gambia on 4 December 2021. The result was a victory for incumbent President Adama Barrow of the National People's Party,who received 53% of the vote,defeating five other candidates.
The First Lady of the Gambia is the official title of the wife of the President or Head of State of The Gambia. Since January 19,2017,Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow has been First Lady.
