Military:  Gambia, The

Military branches:

Office of the Chief of Defense Staff: Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Republican National Guard (RNG) (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for male and female voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 423,306

females age 16-49: 438,641 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 315,176

females age 16-49: 347,017 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 20,508

female: 20,853 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

country comparison to the world: 153

Transnational Issues:  Gambia, The

Disputes - international:

attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's Casamance region, as well as from conflicts in other west African states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 9,042 (Senegal) (2012)

Trafficking in persons:

current situation: The Gambia is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Gambian women, children, and, to a lesser extent, boys are exploited for prostitution and domestic servitude; women, girls, and boys from West African countries are trafficked to the Gambia for sexual exploitation, particularly catering to European tourists seeking sex with children; some Gambian trafficking victims have been identified in neighboring West African countries and the UK; boys in some Koranic schools are forced into street vending or begging

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - The Gambia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has sustained its modest anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts, opening some investigations but failing to initiate any prosecutions or to formally identify any victims; a government program was launched providing resources and financial support to 12 Koranic schools on the condition that their students are not forced to beg (2013)

Source