flag Gambia Gambia: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

With a liberal economy, Gambia is open to foreign trade, which was 42% of its GDP in 2021 (World Bank). Gambia’s exports are mainly made of petroleum oils (45.66% of total exports), cereals (14.12%), oleaginous fruits (10.75%), machinery, nuts, fish and vehicles. The country imports petroleum oils (38.48% of total imports), vehicles (10.64%), cereals (7.91%), cement, fats and oils, ships, sugar, machinery and food (ITC, 2021)

Gambia exports its goods mainly to Mali (44.7% of total exports), China (29.1%), Senegal (10.9%), Guinea Bissau, India and Vietnam. The country mainly imports goods from Togo (25.4% of total imports), Ivory Coast (12.4%), China (7.6%), Denmark (6%), India, Brazil and Senegal (ITC, 2021). The country is a member of the World Trade Organisation and of the ECOWAS. It has set a favourable regulation for trade with low customs duties. Its re-exportation activities, which represent a significant part of its foreign trade, are supported by its ports’ efficiency and trade policy. There is, however, low transparency on its customs duties’ calculation. The Gambia Revenue Authority (GRA) collects excise duties on locally manufactured products (per unit).

The Gambia’s trade balance is structurally negative. In 2021, trade deficit amounted to USD -576 million (World Bank). According to WTO data, in 2021 The Gambia imported USD 607 million worth of goods while it exported USD 32 million worth of goods. It also imported services totalling USD 119 million and exported services totalling USD 104 million.

 
Foreign Trade Indicators 20182019202020212022
Imports of Goods (million USD) 677621582607694
Exports of Goods (million USD) 140133613340
Imports of Services (million USD) 1131081091190
Exports of Services (million USD) 2052061061040
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 19-061311
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 34-6-206-0
Trade Balance (million USD) -421-378-512-576n/a
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 6353484235
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 4134383631
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 22191065

Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation ; World Bank - Latest available data.

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Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2021
Mali 44.7%
China 29.1%
Senegal 10.9%
Guinea-Bissau 4.5%
India 3.7%
See More Countries 7.2%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2021
Togo 25.5%
Ivory Coast 12.4%
China 7.6%
Denmark 6.0%
India 5.6%
See More Countries 42.9%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

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Main Products

0.0 bn USD of products exported in 2021
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 45.7%
RyeRye 14.1%
Groundnuts, whether or not shelled or broken (excl...Groundnuts, whether or not shelled or broken (excl. roasted or otherwise cooked) 7.7%
Coconuts, brazil nuts and cashew nuts, fresh or...Coconuts, brazil nuts and cashew nuts, fresh or dried, whether or not shelled or peeled 5.6%
Machine tools, incl. machines for nailing,...Machine tools, incl. machines for nailing, stapling, glueing or otherwise assembling, for working wood, cork, bone, hard rubber, hard plastics or similar hard materials (excl. machines for working in the hand) 5.2%
See More Products 21.7%
0.7 bn USD of products imported in 2021
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 38.2%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 9.8%
RiceRice 5.4%
Fixed vegetable fats and oils, incl. jojoba oil,...Fixed vegetable fats and oils, incl. jojoba oil, and their fractions, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified (excl. soya-bean, groundnut, olive, palm, sunflower-seed, safflower, cotton-seed, coconut, palm kernel, babassu, rape, colza and mustard oil) 3.0%
Cement, incl. cement clinkers, whether or not...Cement, incl. cement clinkers, whether or not coloured 2.7%
See More Products 40.8%

Source: Comtrade, Latest Available Data

 

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export controls

To go further, check out our service Import Export Flows

 
 

Main Services

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest Available Data

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List of tariffs and local taxes that apply to your product on our service Customs duties

 
 
 

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Latest Update: December 2023

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