The population of Gambia is expected to grow by 61,986 in 2026 and reach 2,945,881 in 2027. Migration (including immigration and emigration) decreases population by 2,894 people yearly. On average there are 82,881 births and 17,884 deaths in Gambia per year. Rate of natural increase is approximately 2.25 percent per year. The population density of Gambia has changed from 70.5 in 1980 to 272.7 in 2024.
| Current population | 2,936,738 people at present (Saturday 7th of November 2026) | |
| Median Age | 24.0 years |
| Life expectancy | 66.4 years | |
| Population density | 285.0 per km2 |
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,884,079 | 61,986 (2.2%) | -2,894 | 24.0 | 3.71 | 285 | 1,894,640 (65.7%) |
| 2025 | 2,822,093 | 62,105 (2.2%) | -2,984 | 23.8 | 3.81 | 279 | 1,834,036 (65.0%) |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,989 | 23.6 | 3.91 | 273 | 1,774,656 (64.3%) |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -3,000 | 23.4 | 4.01 | 267 | 1,721,280 (63.8%) |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -3,000 | 23.2 | 4.08 | 261 | 1,668,542 (63.3%) |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -1,949 | 23.1 | 4.17 | 255 | 1,616,577 (62.8%) |
| 2020 | 2,515,733 | 58,889 (2.3%) | -1,949 | 22.9 | 4.25 | 249 | 1,564,960 (62.2%) |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -4,186 | 22.8 | 4.33 | 243 | 1,514,478 (61.6%) |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -3,944 | 22.6 | 4.42 | 237 | 1,465,325 (61.1%) |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -3,696 | 22.4 | 4.61 | 231 | 1,416,362 (60.5%) |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -3,486 | 22.3 | 4.81 | 226 | 1,367,184 (59.9%) |
| 2015 | 2,224,529 | 60,001 (2.7%) | -3,224 | 22.2 | 5.00 | 220 | 1,317,941 (59.2%) |
| 2010 | 1,926,630 | 55,208 (2.9%) | -2,456 | 21.8 | 5.56 | 190 | 1,079,126 (56.0%) |
| 2005 | 1,667,037 | 45,725 (2.7%) | -3,209 | 21.6 | 5.71 | 165 | 872,831 (52.4%) |
| 2000 | 1,455,084 | 39,305 (2.7%) | -3,670 | 21.4 | 5.72 | 144 | 683,485 (47.0%) |
| 1995 | 1,264,313 | 37,087 (2.9%) | -2,797 | 21.5 | 5.99 | 125 | 500,246 (39.6%) |
| 1990 | 1,054,696 | 43,339 (4.1%) | 11,242 | 21.9 | 6.25 | 104 | 371,008 (35.2%) |
| 1985 | 858,874 | 33,243 (3.9%) | 8,373 | 22.5 | 6.36 | 85 | 278,739 (32.5%) |
| 1980 | 713,913 | 24,132 (3.4%) | 5,268 | 23.1 | 6.41 | 71 | 194,295 (27.2%) |
| 1975 | 606,821 | 17,736 (2.9%) | 2,979 | 23.4 | 6.43 | 60 | 113,542 (18.7%) |
| 1970 | 524,105 | 14,665 (2.8%) | 2,777 | 23.4 | 6.26 | 52 | 68,978 (13.2%) |
| 1965 | 455,952 | 12,265 (2.7%) | 2,272 | 23.2 | 6.19 | 45 | 42,550 (9.3%) |
| 1960 | 398,060 | 10,870 (2.7%) | 2,272 | 23.1 | 6.25 | 39 | 36,093 (9.1%) |
In 2025 the population of Gambia was 2,822,093 and the average age increased from 23.1 in 1960 to 23.8. Urban population has increased from 683,485 (47.0%) in 2000 to 1,894,640 (65.7%) in the current year. The population density of Gambia has changed from 70.5 in 1980 to 272.7 in 2024.
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -1,949 | 22.9 | 4.25 | 249 | 1,564,960 (62.2%) |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | -2,984 | 23.8 | 3.81 | 279 | 1,834,036 (65.0%) |
| 2030 | 3,130,133 | 61,115 (2.0%) | -2,887 | 24.8 | 3.33 | 309 | 2,149,367 (68.7%) |
| 2035 | 3,433,425 | 60,304 (1.8%) | -2,535 | 26.0 | 2.97 | 339 | 2,497,508 (72.7%) |
| 2040 | 3,732,798 | 59,458 (1.6%) | -2,196 | 27.2 | 2.71 | 369 | 2,859,567 (76.6%) |
| 2045 | 4,024,237 | 57,324 (1.4%) | -2,214 | 28.4 | 2.52 | 398 | 3,126,642 (77.7%) |
| 2050 | 4,301,895 | 54,181 (1.3%) | -2,103 | 29.6 | 2.38 | 425 | 3,358,546 (78.1%) |
The life expectancy at birth should reach 70.2 (68.1 years for male and 72.3 years for females). Population density will go up to 425.1 people per square kilometer.
The population growth rate is 2.20% (62,105 residents, including 17,247 deaths). The demographics of Gambia constitutes of 1,447,847 women and 1,436,232 men, which means there are 992 men per 1000 women. As far as age distribution goes, 50.3% of population (1,451,845) is 19 or younger, 46.4% of population (1,337,636) is between age 20 and 64 and 3.3% of population (95,463) is over 65.