Poverty and living standards in Banjul, Gambia: official figures
7.6% of people in Banjul lived below the national poverty line in 2020, the lowest poverty rate of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 53.4%); in 2015/16 the rate was 10.8%.
How many people in Banjul live in extreme poverty?
None of the people surveyed in Banjul were in extreme poverty in 2020, unable to afford basic food even if they spent everything on it, the lowest of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 26.3%).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow common is food poverty in Banjul?
14.8% of people in Banjul could not meet their food needs from what their household spent on food in 2020, the lowest of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 60.2%).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Banjul?
Inequality in household spending in Banjul measured 0.275 on the Gini index in 2020 (0 is perfect equality), the lowest of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 0.388).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow common is child labour in Banjul?
3.8% of children aged 5-17 in Banjul were in child labour in early 2026, the 2nd lowest rate of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 12.9%).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyMore figures
- 0.6% of Banjul's people lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by assets in 2019-20, the lowest share among the 8 areas (by definition 20% nationally). Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copy
How Banjul compares with other capital cities
People below the national poverty line (2020)
Banjul ranks 8 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the national poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kerewan | 73.8% |
| 3 | Basse | 71.1% |
| 4 | Janjanbureh | 68.2% |
| 5 | Mansakonko | 63.9% |
| 6 | Brikama | 48.3% |
| 7 | Kanifing | 11.6% |
| 8 | Banjul | 7.6% |
People in extreme poverty (2020)
Banjul ranks 8 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in extreme poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Kerewan | 40.4% |
| 3 | Basse | 36.2% |
| 4 | Janjanbureh | 34.9% |
| 5 | Mansakonko | 30.9% |
| 6 | Brikama | 20.6% |
| 7 | Kanifing | 1.0% |
| 8 | Banjul | 0.0% |
More on Banjul: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · the Gambia
Sources
- Gambia Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF): The Gambia Demographic and Health Survey 2019-20, Final Report (tables by Local Government Area), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bbe8f65f5280…)
- Gambia Bureau of Statistics: Integrated Household Survey 2020, Volume II: Prevalence and Depth of Poverty (Tables 13, 18, 19, 20 and 21 by LGA), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 87b8e1aa0542…)
- Gambia Bureau of Statistics: The Gambia Labour Force Survey 2026 (Q1) Findings Report (Tables 0.3, 0.4, 2.3 and the child labour table by LGA), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cec405f9bf4c…)
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