West Coast Division (Gambia) births. The poverty gap ratio was 22.4 per cent and literacy rate was 69.7 per cent as of 2003. The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa and the width of the strip-like structure never exceeds . It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and otherwise surrounded by Senegal. The Gambia River flows throughout the country and is the principal source of water and a transport route. The banks of the river have swampy beaches, while it has alluvial soil in all other parts, which is conducive for the growth of rice. Peanuts are the major cash
Supreme Court of the Gambia High Court having trial by judge alone. Appeals against Supreme Court decisions could be made to the West African Court of Appeal, and then to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Following independence in 1965, this arrangement persisted, with the West African Court of Appeal being replaced by the Court of Appeal of The Gambia. The 1997 constitution made the Supreme Court the highest court in The Gambia, composed of a Chief Justice and no more than five other Justices. Appeals to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council were abolished in 1998. Under Jammeh, Justices risked being dismissed