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Gambia Page |
Welcome to ElectionInfo.com's pages on Gambia
Official Name: Republic of The Gambia
Capital: Banjul
Area: 11,300 square kilometres (4,363 square miles)
Major cities (Population): Banjul 44,200 (1994)
Population: 1,118,000 (1995 estimate)
Population growth rate: 3.8 per cent (1990-1995 average)
Type of government: Military government seized power in 1994
Independence: 18 February 1965 (from the United Kingdom).
NOTE: The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989.
Constitution: 24 April 1970
Voting Rights: Universal at age 21
Government
The army seized power in 1994, and Yayeh Jameh declared himself head of state. Before the military coup, a president, directly elected for a five-year term, was head of state and selected the cabinet from parliament. Parliament had 50 members, 36 of whom were directly elected by those aged 21 or over. The country has five political and administrative divisions (Lower River Division, MacCarthy Island, North Bank Division, Upper River Division, and Western) in addition to the city of Banjul.
Recent History
The Gambia was once part of various large African empires, including the Serrahule and Mandinka empires of the 5th and 6th centuries. The country's modern history is closely linked to the Gambia River. It is believed that the Portuguese were the first Europeans to navigate the river in 1455, but it was not recognized as a European possession until 1783, when the British claimed the river and its surrounding territory. It became a formal British colony in 1888 and remained so until February 1965, when The Gambia became an independent state and a member of the Commonwealth. In April 1970 the country became a republic under the leadership of President Dawda Jawara.
In July 1981 political turmoil led to an attempted coup while Jawara was in England for the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer. The coup lasted for eight days before Senegalese troops intervened, at Jawara’s request, to end the rebellion. As a result of Senegal’s involvement, the two countries joined together in closer union, establishing the Senegambia Confederation in September 1981. Close diplomatic relations and the loose confederation continued until August 1989, when Senegal withdrew, but another friendship treaty was signed in 1991. The 1992 elections were won by President Jawara despite strong opposition, but on 22 July 1994 soldiers led by Yayeh Jameh seized power in a bloodless coup.
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