At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Gambia, The

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Yahya A. J. J JAMMEH
• Head of Government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH
• Assembly: Gambia, The has a unicameral National Assembly with 53 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by plurality vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the National Assembly, 48 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms and 5 members are appointed by the president to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH
  • Party: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC)
• Ousainou DARBOE**
  • Coalition: United Democratic Party / National Reconciliation Party (UDP/NRP)
• Halifa SALLAH
  • Party: National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD)

** Ousainou DARBOE is the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election was held on October 18, 2001. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH was reelected president with 52.9% of the vote against Ousainou DARBOE with 32.7%.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 1,487,731 (2006)
• Registered Voters: 670,336 (September 2006 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 750,378 (2006)

·         Is The Gambia a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (29 July 1980)

·         Has The Gambia ratified CEDAW: Yes (16 April 1993)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 7 (following the 2002 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 175 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is The Gambia a signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has The Gambia ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (6 July 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 223,159 (est.)