Gambia: environment

What are The Gambia's CO2 emissions?

The Gambia emitted 0.49 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2024, or 0.18 tonnes per person, according to the World Bank.

The figures exclude land use, land-use change and forestry, and come from the EDGAR database, which estimates emissions from fuel use and industrial activity. They are also small in absolute terms. The National Environment Agency coordinates environmental management in The Gambia, and the national greenhouse gas inventory is reported to the UN climate convention.

Official sources: World Bank: CO2 emissions, The Gambia · National Environment Agency

How many people in The Gambia have electricity?

69% of the population had access to electricity in 2024, according to the World Bank, up from 63.7% in 2021.

Access means a household has an electricity connection or an off-grid source such as a solar home system. It does not measure how reliable supply is. The World Bank series combines household surveys with modelling for years without a survey. GBoS publishes the share of households with electricity by urban and rural area on its demographic and socio-economic data pages.

Official sources: World Bank: Access to electricity, The Gambia · GBoS: demographic and socio-economic data

What are the Gambia's CO2 emissions per person?

The latest figure from the European Commission's EDGAR database, for 2024, is 0.2 tonnes. Since 2005 it has ranged from 0.2 tonnes (2020) to 0.2 tonnes (2011). It is 34th highest of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 0.4 tonnes. Worldwide: 169th of 186.

How much greenhouse gas does the Gambia emit?

In 2024, total greenhouse gas emissions in the Gambia was 1.9 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. The peak was 2.0 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2015 and the low 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2005. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 24.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and the Gambia placed 43rd highest of 47. Of 186 countries with 2024 data, 163rd highest.

What share of the Gambia's energy comes from renewables?

47.7%: that is the renewable share of final energy use in the Gambia for 2022, according to the IEA, IRENA, the UN Statistics Division, the World Bank and the WHO. The peak was 61.7% in 2005 and the low 47.4% in 2019. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 70.0%, and the Gambia placed 16th highest of 23. Worldwide: 21st of 53.

How much of the Gambia is forest?

According to the FAO, forest area as a share of land in the Gambia was 21.3% in 2024. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. It is 26th highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 22.2%. World rank, highest first: 119th of 190.

How polluted is the air in the Gambia?

38.3 micrograms per cubic metre: that is average exposure to fine particle air pollution (PM2.5) in the Gambia for 2023, according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Its high point since 2005 was 2012, at 43.2 micrograms per cubic metre; its low point was 2013, at 32.5 micrograms per cubic metre. It is 9th highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 27.5 micrograms per cubic metre. World rank, highest first: 25th of 192.

What share of the Gambia is protected land?

According to the UN Environment Programme, the share of land in protected areas in the Gambia was 7.7% in 2025. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2013. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 16.9%; the Gambia is 39th highest of 48. Worldwide: 156th of 192.

How much of the Gambia's fresh water is used?

According to the FAO, water stress in the Gambia was 2.2% in 2022. The figure has been the same every year since 2005. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 5.1%, and the Gambia placed 31st highest of 47. World rank, highest first: 144th of 175.