Gambia, The Trade Openness
Trade as % of GDP NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS
Gambia, The's trade openness was 39.49% in 2025, ranked 167th globally. This represents a 6.3% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1966–2025.
Overview
Gambia, The's trade openness stood at 39.49% in 2025, a decline of +2.68% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 39.49% by 2025. Gambia, The ranked 167th globally.
Gambia’s trade openness, measured as the sum of exports and imports as a share of GDP, has fallen dramatically from an early peak of 131.49 in 1990 to a historic low of 38.11 in 2016, before modestly rebounding to 39.49 in 2025, placing the country 167th in the world. The sharp contraction after the 1990 high reflects a prolonged period of fiscal tightening, limited diversification and recurring balance‑of‑payments pressures that narrowed the volume of cross‑border trade. By contrast, neighbouring Benin recorded a slightly higher openness of 40.98 in the same year, underscoring regional disparities in trade integration. The 60‑year series shows that Gambia’s openness remains well below the regional average, suggesting that structural bottlenecks such as inadequate port infrastructure and limited export‑oriented manufacturing continue to constrain performance. If policy reforms succeed in expanding productive capacity, improving customs efficiency and deepening regional market links, the upward trajectory observed since 2016 could accelerate, raising Gambia’s openness above the 40‑percent threshold in the coming decade.
Data & projection
| Year | Trade Openness | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 36.98% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 38.24% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 39.49% | - | - |
| 2025 | 39.49% | −2.68% | #167 |
| 2024 | 42.17% | +2.21% | #23 |
| 2023 | 39.96% | −4.76% | #13 |
| 2022 | 44.72% | +2.62% | #19 |
| 2021 | 42.10% | −5.30% | #22 |
| 2020 | 47.40% | −8.60% | #44 |
| 2019 | 56.00% | −8.81% | #45 |
| 2018 | 64.81% | +9.08% | #62 |
| 2017 | 55.73% | +17.62% | #49 |
| 2016 | 38.11% | −6.41% | #20 |
| 2015 | 44.52% | −13.74% | #24 |
| 2014 | 58.26% | +12.80% | #47 |
| 2013 | 45.46% | −2.24% | #20 |
| 2012 | 47.70% | +5.06% | #24 |
| 2011 | 42.64% | +1.63% | #15 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Gambia, The matched the Orthodox Tightening Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 57% of countries showing this pattern (177 out of 311) saw trade openness improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Gambia, The's trade openness was 39.49% in 2025. Ranked 167th globally. This represents a 6.3% decrease from the previous year.
Gambia, The's trade openness peaked at 131.49% in 1990.
The lowest trade openness in Gambia, The was 38.11% in 2016.
Gambia, The ranks 167th globally in trade openness as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is NE.TRD.GNFS.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Gambia, The's trade openness is projected to reach 39.49% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The trade openness of Gambia, The in 2025 was 39.49%. This ranks 167th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_gambia-the_trade-openness,
title = {Gambia, The Trade Openness},
url = {https://historysaid.com/gambia-the/trade-openness/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}