State Capacity Index in Gambia

Gambia: State Capacity Index was -0.1567 in 2015. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2015)
-0.1567
Change on year
down 135.8%
World rank
134th
of 166 countries
All-time high
0.0243
in 2010
All-time low
-0.9598
in 1972
Years of data
51
1965–2015

State Capacity Index in Gambia, 1965–2015

-1-0.8-0.6-0.4-0.2-0196519902015

Source: Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for state capacity index in Gambia is -0.1567, measured in 2015.

That represents a change of down 135.8% on the previous year and up 36.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, state capacity index in Gambia peaked at 0.0243 in 2010 and was at its lowest, -0.9598, in 1972.

Gambia ranks 134th of 166 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

State Capacity Index in Gambia, year by year

Annual values for State Capacity Index in Gambia, 1965 to 2015.
Year Value Change
1965 -0.4844
1966 -0.4789 -1.1%
1967 -0.453 -5.4%
1968 -0.4205 -7.2%
1969 -0.4283 +1.9%
1970 -0.4073 -4.9%
1971 -0.407 -0.1%
1972 -0.9598 +135.8%
1973 -0.8307 -13.5%
1974 -0.8594 +3.5%
1975 -0.864 +0.5%
1976 -0.8553 -1.0%
1977 -0.7224 -15.5%
1978 -0.786 +8.8%
1979 -0.6944 -11.7%
1980 -0.8134 +17.1%
1981 -0.6877 -15.5%
1982 -0.7315 +6.4%
1983 -0.7258 -0.8%
1984 -0.6763 -6.8%
1985 -0.6136 -9.3%
1986 -0.3967 -35.3%
1987 -0.3936 -0.8%
1988 -0.4298 +9.2%
1989 -0.262 -39.0%
1990 -0.2327 -11.2%
1991 -0.2105 -9.5%
1992 -0.1954 -7.2%
1993 -0.0506 -74.1%
1994 -0.195 +285.6%
1995 -0.2635 +35.1%
1996 -0.1911 -27.5%
1997 -0.1424 -25.5%
1998 -0.1727 +21.3%
1999 -0.1631 -5.6%
2000 -0.1954 +19.8%
2001 -0.1978 +1.2%
2002 -0.2212 +11.8%
2003 -0.3061 +38.4%
2004 -0.2606 -14.9%
2005 -0.2471 -5.2%
2006 -0.186 -24.7%
2007 -0.1226 -34.1%
2008 -0.0474 -61.3%
2009 -0.1795 +278.8%
2010 0.0243 -113.5%
2011 -0.025 -203.3%
2012 0.0105 -141.8%
2013 -0.0733 -800.1%
2014 -0.0665 -9.3%
2015 -0.1567 +135.8%

Gambia compared with similar countries

  • Gambia's -0.1567 is above the median for low income countries, which is -0.5349, 29% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Gambia's -0.1567 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.0931, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where State Capacity Index in Gambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2013 -800.1% 0.0105 -0.0733
1994 -285.6% -0.0506 -0.195
2009 -278.8% -0.0474 -0.1795
2011 -203.3% 0.0243 -0.025
1972 -135.8% -0.407 -0.9598
2015 -135.8% -0.0665 -0.1567

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s -0.453 -0.4844 -0.4205 5
1970s -0.7386 -0.9598 -0.407 10
1980s -0.573 -0.8134 -0.262 10
1990s -0.1817 -0.2635 -0.0506 10
2000s -0.1964 -0.3061 -0.0474 10
2010s -0.0478 -0.1567 0.0243 6

Countries ranked near Gambia

  1. 131 Uzbekistan -0.0795 compare
  2. 132 Suriname -0.0876 compare
  3. 133 Angola -0.1073 compare
  4. 135 Mauritania -0.1642 compare
  5. 136 Mali -0.165 compare
  6. 137 Togo -0.1935 compare

See the full ranking of 166 places →

More reference data data for Gambia

All data for Gambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is state capacity index in Gambia?
State capacity index in Gambia was -0.1567 in 2015, according to Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest state capacity index recorded in Gambia?
The highest recorded value was 0.0243 in 2010.
What is the lowest state capacity index recorded in Gambia?
The lowest recorded value was -0.9598 in 1972.
How does Gambia rank for state capacity index?
Gambia ranks 134th out of 166 countries with data for 2015.
Is state capacity index rising or falling in Gambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 36.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Gambia data come from?
The figures come from Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of State Capacity Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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State Capacity Index in Gambia. Statizoid, drawing on Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/state-capacity-index/gambia-the/

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About this data

Indicator
State Capacity Index
Source
Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
166 places, 8,015 data points, 1960–2015
Last refreshed

Measures state capacity by combining 21 different indicators related to three key dimensions: extractive capacity, coercive capacity, and administrative capacity. Higher values indicate greater state capacity.