Introduction
How is the Military in Gambia and how does it work to maintain Sucity and fight terrorism? In terms of Military and security forces, we have the Gambian Armed Forces (GAF; aka Armed Forces of the Gambia): the Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambia Navy, Gambia Air Force, Republican National Guard (RNG)

Ministry of Interior: Gambia Police Force (GPF) (2024).
In Gambia, the Gambian security forces have a history of involvement in domestic politics, including multiple coups attempts and mutinies, with the latest being an attempted coup in 2022; since 2017, Gambia’s security sector has been undergoing reforms as part of a national reconstruction effort to recover from the 22 years of Yahya JAMMEH’s autocratic rule under which the security forces were severely under-resourced in terms of finances and equipment and were largely directed towards regime protection and suppressing dissent; international partners, including member states of the EU, particularly France and Germany, as well as Turkey and the US have provided support to military and police reforms; several members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have also provided security forces for stability, plus assistance and training through the ECOWAS Mission in the Gambia (ECOMIG); as of 2023, ECOMIG continued to provide about 1,000 military and gendarmerie personnel from Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal

the GAF is a small and lightly armed force responsible for external defense, providing maritime security, countering human trafficking, and aiding civil authorities in emergencies and natural disaster relief; it also engages in activities such as engineering, education, health, and agriculture for domestic socio-economic development; the GAF participates in peacekeeping missions, and since its first deployments in the 1990s, has been involved in more than 10 UN peacekeeping missions while contributing about 4,000 total troops 

the GAF traces its origins to the Gambia Regiment of the British Army; established in 1901, the Gambia Regiment was part of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF, later Royal West African Frontier Force or RWAFF) and served in both World Wars, including the British 1944-45 military campaign in Burma; the Gambia Regiment was disbanded in 1958 and replaced by the Field Force, a police paramilitary unit; the Field Force was responsible for The Gambia’s security until the establishment of the GAF in 1985; in addition, a defense agreement signed in 1965 between The Gambia and Senegal provided mutual assistance in the face of an external threat; from 1981-1989, The Gambia and Senegal formed a Confederal Army that was made up of troops from both countries (2023)
Security and military information of Gambia
Military and security service personnel strengths estimated 3,000 military personnel (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions the military of Gambia has a limited inventory of mostly older or donated equipment originating from several suppliers, including China, Turkey, the UK, and the US  (2023)
Military service age and obligation 18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service (18-22 for officers); no conscription; service obligation six months (2024).
Military deployments .
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021 0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020 0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2019 0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)
All Important Facts about Gambia

Want to know more about Gambia? Check all different factbooks for Gambia below.

Gambia is found in Western Africa