Gambia - Country Information

Film Commissions

General Information

Location: West Africa
Local Time: GMT
Capital City: Banjul
Population: 1.6 million
Area: 10,000 square km, 3,861 square miles.
Language(s): English, local languages
Dialling Code: 220
Emergency: Police: 17. Fire: 18. Ambulance: 16 or 18 (Banjul)
Directory Enquiries:
TV Standard:
Driving: Driving is on the right. International Driving Permit required although UK licence is valid for short visits
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz

Business & Currency

Currency: Dalasi (GMD 1 = 100 Butut)
Notes: GMD: 5, 10, 25, 50, 100
Coins: GMD: 1. Butut: 1, 5, 10, 25, 50

Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Limited acceptance of credit cards. Travellers cheques are accepted

Opening Hours
Bank: 0800-1330 Mon-Thur, 0800-1100 Fri
Office: 0800-1600 Mon-Thur, 0800-1230 Fri
Shops: 0900-1200 & 1400-1700 Mon-Thur, 0900-1300 Fri-Sat

Public Holidays
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day, 18 Feb Independence Day, 26 Feb Milad al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet), 2 Apr Good Friday, 5 Apr Easter Monday, 1 May Labour Day, 22 Jul Revolution Day, 15 Aug Assumption, 11 Sep Koriteh (End of Ramadan), 17 Nov Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice), 25 Dec Christmas.

Note: Dates may vary according to the lunar calendar

Business/Social Hints: When Muslim conventions apply, visitors should be perceptive to unfamiliar local customs. It is the convention to use the right and not the left hand when shaking hands and passing or receiving anything. On social occasions, eg invitation to restaurants, be punctual and dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. The minimum drinking age is 18 years

Tipping: When there is no service charge, tips are around 10%

Health

Reciprocal health:

Compulsory vaccinations: Yellow fever certificate if arriving from endemic or infected areas. Exempt infants under 1 year.

Recommended immunisations: Cholera*, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B*, malaria, meningitis*, polio, TB*, tetanus, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies
* recommended in some circumstances, travellers making 3 or more visits per year, stays of more than 3 months in a rural area, high-risk occupational groups & backpackers staying more than 1 month.

Risks: Malaria exists all year throughout the country especially between July and September. Rabies.

Airports

Passport & Visa

The following details relate to holders of adult normal passports (requirements for children may be different), if any other type of passport or travel document is held, entry requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy or consulate

Passports

Required by all

Passport Validity: Passports must be valid 6 months from date of return

Passport Notes:

Visas

The following DO NOT require a visa:

1) Nationals of Gambia

2) For stays up to 90 days by:
a) Holders of British passports
b) Nationals of Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iceland, Ireland Rep, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, San Marino, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Uganda & Zambia

Air Transit

Required by all except those as noted above:

1) Persons in direct transit (except nationals of Albania, Algeria, Angola, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Burundi, China (Rep), Congo, Congo (Dem Rep), Croatia, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Isreal, Japan, Korea (North), Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Namibia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine & Yemen who must obtain a visa)

Exit Permits

Special Notes

All visitors must hold onward/return tickets & documents required for next destination

Climate

Sub-tropical climate with distinct dry and rainy seasons. From mid Nov-mid May coastal areas are dry while the rainy season lasts from Jun-Oct. Inland the cool season is shorter and temperatures during the day are very high between Mar-Jun

Clothing

Lightweights or tropical for most of the year with rainwear for rainy season

Charts for Banjul

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max Temp (C) 32 32 34 33 32 32 33 29 30 32 31 31 Min Temp (C) 16 16 17 17 19 23 24 21 22 22 18 16 Humidity am (%) 68 66 76 82 88 91 94 95 95 95 90 77 Humidity pm (%) 28 26 29 40 48 60 72 77 74 65 47 36 Rainfall (mm) 2 2 0 0 10 56 280 500 310 110 18 3

Temperature (C) Rainfall (mm) Humidity (%)

Representative

UK Tourist Office
Gambia Tourism Authority contact High Commission of Gambia
tel: +44 20 7376 0093
fax: +44 20 7938 3644
e-mail: office@ukgta.fsnet.co.uk
website: www.visitgambia.gm

Embassy
High Commission of Gambia
57 Kensington Court
London, W8 5DG
tel: +44 20 7937 6316
fax: +44 20 7937 9095
e-mail: gambia@gamhighcom-fsnet.co.uk
hours: 0930-1700 (Mon-Thur), 0930-1300 (Fri)