Introduction - UNDP The Gambia

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Appendix 1: Human Development in The Gambia
According to the provisional results of the 2003 Population and Housing Census, the population of
The Gambia is estimated at 1,364,507 persons compared to 1,038,145 persons in April 1993. This
represents 31.4 per cent increase over the previous decade and an average annual growth rate of
2.77 per cent per annum compared to the 4.2 per cent over the period 1983 to 1993. The observed
drop in the annual growth rate is the accumulated effect of various socio-economic factors
including the massive outward movement of refugees from neighbouring countries as a result of
return to peace in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea Bissau and recent decline in economic activity
coupled with an increase in the cost of living.
Figure 3 illustrates the levels of growth of the population of The Gambia from 1963 to 2003.
Figure 3: Population of The Gambia, 1963-2003
The provisional figures also show that The Gambia has a population density of 128 persons per
square kilometre. This indicates an increase of 31 persons per square kilometre over the 1993
population density of 97 persons per square kilometre. The highest population density is in the
Greater Banjul A-Area.
The provisional figures further indicate an overall sex ratio of 98, slightly lower than the 1993
Population and Housing Census figure of 100, which indicated parity in terms of male and female
population sizes. High population growths, high population density, a decline in economic activities
and increasing evidence of growing poverty have had a combined adverse impact on the Human
Development Index.
Human Development Index for the Gambia 2005
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite index that measures the average
achievements in a country in three basic dimensions of human development:
• a long and healthy life as measured by life expectancy at birth
• knowledge as measured by the adult literacy rate and the combined gross enrolment ratio for
primary, secondary and tertiary schools
• a decent standard of living as measured by GDP per capita.
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Building Capacity for the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals in The Gambia National Human Development Report 2005
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