Poverty and living standards in Basse, Gambia: official figures
71.1% of people in Basse lived below the national poverty line in 2020, the 3rd highest poverty rate of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 53.4%); in 2015/16 the rate was 59.4%.
How many people in Basse live in extreme poverty?
36.2% of people in Basse were in extreme poverty in 2020, unable to afford basic food even if they spent everything on it, the 3rd highest of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 26.3%).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow common is food poverty in Basse?
68.7% of people in Basse could not meet their food needs from what their household spent on food in 2020, the 3rd highest of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 60.2%).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow unequal is Basse?
Inequality in household spending in Basse measured 0.293 on the Gini index in 2020 (0 is perfect equality), the 2nd lowest of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 0.388).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyHow common is child labour in Basse?
10.4% of children aged 5-17 in Basse were in child labour in early 2026, the 3rd lowest rate of the 8 areas (The Gambia: 12.9%).
Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics · saved copyMore figures
- 31.2% of Basse's people lived in households in the poorest fifth nationally by assets in 2019-20, the 4th lowest share among the 8 areas (by definition 20% nationally). Source: Gambia Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Health (with ICF) · saved copy
How Basse compares with other local government areas
People below the national poverty line (2020)
Basse ranks 3 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People below the national poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuntaur | 86.3% |
| 2 | Kerewan | 73.8% |
| 3 | Basse | 71.1% |
| 4 | Janjanbureh | 68.2% |
| 5 | Mansakonko | 63.9% |
| 6 | Brikama | 48.3% |
| 7 | Kanifing | 11.6% |
People in extreme poverty (2020)
Basse ranks 3 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | People in extreme poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuntaur | 61.1% |
| 2 | Kerewan | 40.4% |
| 3 | Basse | 36.2% |
| 4 | Janjanbureh | 34.9% |
| 5 | Mansakonko | 30.9% |
| 6 | Brikama | 20.6% |
| 7 | Kanifing | 1.0% |
More on Basse: 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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