Internal migration is an important factor in the spatial distribution of population in The Gambia.

As in many developing countries, there are strong incentives to move from one area to another in search of increased opportunities. According to the 2003 census, a total of 242,213 persons were recorded as in-migrants whose place of birth was different from their place of enumeration. Among the Local Government Areas (LGAs), kanifing had the highest proportion of in-migrants (42.0%), followed by Brikama (25.2%) and Banjul (21.3%) whilst Basse recorded the lowest (2.1%). emmigration, on the other hand, was highest in Banjul (110.5%) followed by Mansakonko (40.1%) and Kerewn (34.8%) whilst Kanifing recorded the lowest (9.5%).

The presence of a relatively large influx of non-Gambians, mainly from the sub-region, is evident in the country, but statistics on international migration are inadequate. In 1983, the Census counted 60,796 non Gambians, accounting for just about 9 percent of the country's total population. On the basis of statistics on arrivals and departures of foreigners, the immigration Department has estimated a net inflow of non-Gambians of over 15-20 thousand per year since 1988. economic hardships and civil unrest in the West African sub-region during the late 1980s and early 1990s touched off a movement of people to relatively stable countries like The Gambia.

The country has in recent times attracted increasing numbers of refugees and economic migrants, a development which impacted negatively on the effective implementation of the population policy as demands for social services furthr strained the available resources. This is borne out by the fact that between 1983 and 1993, the non-Gambia population more than doubled from 60,796 to 134.118, representing 8.8 percent and 12.9 percent of the national population respectively. In 2003, the non-Gambian population showed a decline to 119,776, representing 8.8% of the total population.

The high rate of migration has affected the structure and pattern of settlement. A large majority of migrants settled  in urban agglomerates where there is a high concentration of employment opportunities and social amenities, which act as pull factors. The urban population in The Gambia stood at 53% of the total population in 2003. Increasing urbanisation is causing stress on social services, leading to rising urban poverty. The worst incidence of urban poverty can be seen in the Greater Banjul Area where 51% of the country's population is concentrated.

The Gambia is yet to formulate a National Migration Policy, which will provide a framework for managing both internal and international migration. It is important to have such o policy in the light of the growing attractiveness of The Gambia as a save haven and economically-stable destination in the sub-region.

Gender dimension
Gender disparities exist in The Gambia, reflecting the low social status of the females compared to males. The society is predominantly traditional, with the divisions of responsibilities being fairly clearly drawn out on the  age and gender. Women are largely responsible for domestic activities, including child rearing. In a subsistence economy, The household being the central production and consumption unit, men are perceived to be the primary income earners who ensure household food security. Women, however, contribute significantly to family production and are solely responsible for its preparation.

The cultural perception of female being subordinate to males has been an important of  the multiple role they play and their limited access and control over productive resources such as land and credit. One particular circumstances that confirms the low status of females is the cultural norm which makes females mainly responsible for the reproductive process while denying the right and means to control it. This emanates from the fact that decision making at the household, and indeed state levels, is largely vested in men, with women having little or no voice in matters that affect their lives.

The Gambian women should be involved in the process  of decision making, especially as it relates to their fertility. Another significant factor that contributes to the low status of females and girls is gender descrimination which takes different forms such as preference for the male child over the female, the tendency to educate boys and not girls and the disproportionate allotment of domestic chores.