Islam in Gambia: history and Muslim population data

History of Islam in Gambia

The Republic of the Gambia has an area of 11,295 sq km and is the smallest country in the continent of Africa. Its map is presented in Figure 3.2.5. It was occupied by the British in 1783 and gained its independence from the UK in 1965. Islam entered here in the 1030s when the War Jabi, King of Tekrur Kingdom embraced Islam. The Kingdom was situated in the north of current Senegal around the Senegal River. War Jabi died in 1040. Islam spread further around 1040 when Abdullah bnu Yassin and Yahya bnu Ibrahim, the founders of the Almoravid Dynasty, isolated themselves in an island at the end of the Senegal River, which separates current Mauritania from Senegal. They were followed by hundreds from which was the seed of Almoravid Dynasty. King Labi, son of War Jabi continued the spread of Islam in this region. The Muslim population increased slowly as more local chiefs converted to Islam.

An 1871 census was held in the colony with an area of 54 sq km, and recorded 5,717 Muslims, or 40.29% out of total population of 14,190. Later censuses showed that the Muslim population increased from 0.12 million or 82.9% in 1911, to 0.27 million or 85.0% in 1963, to 0.60 million or 95.1% in 1983, to 0.99 million or 95.8% in 1993, then to 1.30 million or 95.7% in 2003 and 1.78 million or 96.1% in 2013.

Thus, assuming that the percentage of Muslims will remain fixed; then the Muslim population is expected to increase to close to five million by 2050 and near seven million by 2100.

Historical Muslim population dataset for Gambia

The figures below are from the CoMPS historical dataset. Population values are expressed in thousands; 2100 is a modelled projection, not a present-day count.

For the full time series and visualisation, use the interactive map above.