RELIGION IN THE GAMBIA

Mosque in The Gambia

Article 25 of the Constitution protects the rights of citizens to practice any religion that they choose. The government also did not establish a state religion. Islam is the predominant religion, practiced by approximately 90 percent of the country's population. The majority of the Muslims present in the Gambia adhere to Sunni laws and traditions. Virtually all commercial life in the Gambia comes to a standstill in major Muslim holidays, including Eid al-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr. Most Muslims in the Gambia follow the Maliki school of jurisprudence.

Saint Mary's Anglican Cathedral in Banjul

The Christian community represents about 8 percent of the population. Residing in the western and the southern parts of the Gambia, most of the Christian community identify themselves as Roman Catholic. However, there are smaller Christian groups present, such as Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses and small evangelical denominations. Due to immigration from South Asia, there is a presence of Buddhists and followers of the Baha'i Faith. The remaining 2 percent of the population adheres to indigenous beliefs. There are very few atheists present in the Gambia.

The Rastafarian religion has also gained momentum in the Gambia. Not as a competitor to the large percentage of Muslims in the region, but rather it is blended into the culture in a way that you may find many of the youth identifying themselves as Rasta at times, and other times as a Muslim. Therefore it is difficult to gauge an exact percentage of Rasta's in the country, but at many clubs in the country Reggae is the music of choice, and the Rasta influence is visibly present