By Buba Gagigo
The Preliminary 2024 population census has shown that Senegalese nationals make up the largest group of foreign residents in The Gambia, accounting for 1.7% (40,849 people) of the population. They are followed by Guineans, who represent 1.5% (36,077 people). Other nationalities, including Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans, each constitute less than 1% of the population.
The census was conducted under the supervision of the Census Controller (Statistician General), who managed overall coordination, fund disbursement, and resource management. The Census Controller worked closely with Regional Census Officers and conducted field visits. Two Deputy Census Controllers assisted, one focusing on administrative tasks and the other on technical execution.
“The data shows that Gambians make up the overwhelming majority of The Gambia’s population. Senegalese nationals are the largest foreign nationals at 1.7 percent (40,849), followed by Guineans at 1.5 percent (36,077). Other nationalities, including Nigerians, Sierra-Leoneans, and others, each present less than 1 percent of the population,” the census revealed.
The census also revealed that The Gambia’s total population is 2,422,712, with females making up 51% and males 49%. Brikama is the most populous Local Government Area (LGA), accounting for 47.5% of the country’s population, along with Kanifing. Together, these LGAs comprise 63.2% of the national population.
“The Gambia’s population pyramid for 2024 displays a broad base with a narrowing top, indicating a youthful population with high birth rates. The relatively symmetrical distribution between sex suggests minimal sex imbalances. As this young population ages into the workforce, targeted investments in these areas will be crucial for capitalizing on the potential demographic dividend and addressing the associated challenges,” the census revealed.
Banjul has the highest gender ratio, with 116 males per 100 females, indicating a male-dominated population, while Basse has the lowest gender ratio at 91. In 2024, Brikama will be the most populous LGA with 147,611 households (49.6% of the total), followed by Kanifing with 61,586 households (20.7%), and Banjul with 5,551 households (1.9%).
“The most notable trend is the accelerated growth between 2013 and 2024, suggesting a rapidly expanding population or changes in household formation patterns. This upward trajectory highlights the increasing demand for housing and related services over time. Household sizes in The Gambia differ significantly by LGA. Banjul has the smallest average size at 4.6, while Kuntaur and Basse have much larger sizes of 10.7 and 12.6, respectively. The national average household size is 8.0,” the census revealed.
The census also found that 98.8% of The Gambia’s population lives in regular households, 1.1% in institutions such as prisons and group quarters, and 0.2% in floating populations. Between 2013 and 2024, The Gambia’s annual population growth rate was 2.5%.
“This shows a decline in annual growth rate compared to the 2003 and 2013 inter-censual periods, which recorded an annual growth rate of 3.1 percent,” it stated.
Urbanization from 2013 to 2024 led to a decrease in Banjul’s population density but a sharp rise in Kanifing and Brikama, driven by economic growth. Rural areas saw modest increases as migration to urban centers continued, with the national population density growing from 174 in 2013 to 227 people per square kilometer in 2024.
The census also highlighted that The Gambia’s population is predominantly youthful, with 40.8% under 15 years of age and only 3.0% aged 65 and over.
“This dependent population is likely to put pressure on the working-age population, 15 to 64 years, which accounts for 56.2 percent of the population. At the LGA level, Banjul and Kanifing have a relatively smaller proportion of youthful population (30.0% and 34.2%, respectively) compared to Kuntaur (47.9%) and Basse (46.7%), where nearly half the population is under 15 years,” the census revealed.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.