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This is a list of theheads of state of The Gambia, from the independence ofThe Gambia in 1965 to the present day.
From 1965 to 1970 the head of state under theConstitution of 1965 was thequeen of the Gambia,Elizabeth II, who was also the monarch of otherCommonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in the Gambia by a governor-general. The Gambia became arepublic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1970 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by an executivepresident.
The succession to the throne was the same as thesuccession to the British throne.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Reign | Royal House | Prime minister(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reign start | Reign end | Duration | |||||
| 1 | _(3x4_close_cropped).jpg) | QueenElizabeth II (1926–2022) | 18 February 1965 | 24 April 1970 | 5 years, 65 days | Windsor | Jawara |
The governor-general was the representative of the monarch in the Gambia and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since the Gambia was granted independence by theGambia Independence Act 1964, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomousdominion and later promoted to independence as defined by theStatute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was to be always appointed solely on the advice of theCabinet of the Gambia without the involvement of the British government, with the sole exception of John Paul, the former colonial governor, who served as governor-general temporarily until he was replaced by Farimang Mamadi Singateh. In the event of a vacancy thechief justice would have served as theofficer administering the government.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Monarch | Prime minister(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 |  | Sir John Paul (1916–2004) | 18 February 1965 | 9 February 1966 | 356 days | Elizabeth II | Jawara |
| 2 | | Sir Farimang Singateh (1912–1977) | 9 February 1966 | 24 April 1970 | 4 years, 74 days | ||
Under the Constitution of 1970, the first constitution of the Republic of the Gambia, the president replaced the monarch as executive head of state. The president was elected by theNational Assembly for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy thevice-president served asacting president.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Political party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | .jpg) | Sir Dawda Jawara (1924–2019) | 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 | 24 April 1970 | 22 July 1994 (Deposed in a coup) | 24 years, 89 days | PPP |
Colonel Yahya Jammeh led acoup d'état which overthrew President Jawara and his government, all political parties and Parliament were dissolved.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Political party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 2 | .jpg) | Colonel Yahya Jammeh (born 1965) Chairman of theAFPRC | 22 July 1994 | 6 November 1996 | 2 years, 107 days | Military |
Under the current constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, the president is executive head of state. The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy, thevice-president will serve asacting president.
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Elected | Term of office | Political party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| (2) | | Yahya Jammeh (born 1965) | 1996 2001 2006 2011 | 6 November 1996 | 21 January 2017[a] | 20 years, 76 days | APRC |
| 3 | _(cropped).jpg) | Adama Barrow (born 1965) | 2016 2021 | 19 January 2017[b] | Incumbent | 9 years, 27 days | Coalition 2016 (until 2019) |
| NPP | |||||||
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| Queen (1965–1970) | ||
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| President of the First Republic (1970–1994) | ||
| Military regime (1994–1996) | ||
| President of the Second Republic (from 1996) | ||
