Page last updated on January 28, 2014
The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC) has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000. He was reelected in 2007 and during his two terms amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and to weaken the opposition. His decision to run for a third presidential term sparked a large public backlash that led to his defeat in a March 2012 runoff election with Macky SALL.
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
total: 196,722 sq km
country comparison to the world: 88
land: 192,530 sq km
water: 4,192 sq km
slightly smaller than South Dakota
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation southwest of Kedougou 581 m
fish, phosphates, iron ore
arable land: 19.57%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 80.15% (2011)
total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
per capita: 221.6 cu m/yr (2002)
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese
Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
Muslim 94% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%
13,300,410 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
0-14 years: 42.7% (male 2,855,431/female 2,828,107)
15-24 years: 20.5% (male 1,357,979/female 1,372,107)
25-54 years: 30.1% (male 1,825,507/female 2,182,110)
55-64 years: 3.7% (male 218,512/female 277,047)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 174,946/female 208,664) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 86.9 %
youth dependency ratio: 81.3 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 %
potential support ratio: 17.9 (2013)
total: 18.2 years
male: 17.4 years
female: 19.1 years (2013 est.)
2.51% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
35.64 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
8.85 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
-1.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
urban population: 42.5% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 3.32% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
DAKAR (capital) 2.777 million (2009)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.83 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.8 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
21.4
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2011 est.)
370 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 28
total: 53.93 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 36
male: 60.22 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 47.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 60.57 years
country comparison to the world: 192
male: 58.58 years
female: 62.61 years (2013 est.)
4.61 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
6% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 107
0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
0.3 beds/1,000 population (2008)
0.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
59,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
2,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
6.8% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 145
19.2% (2011)
country comparison to the world: 37
5.6% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 50
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 49.7%
male: 61.8%
female: 38.7% (2009 est.)
total: 8 years
male: 8 years
female: 8 years (2010)
total number: 657,216
percentage: 22 % (2005 est.)
total: 14.8%
country comparison to the world: 83
male: 11.9%
female: 20.1% (2006)
conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal
local long form: Republique du Senegal
local short form: Senegal
former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation
name: Dakar
geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
previous 1959 (preindependence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001; amended many times, last in 2008 (2011)
civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012)
head of government: Prime Minister Aminata TOURE (since 3 September 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 February 2012 with a second round runoff on 25 March 2012 (next to be held 2019); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Macky SALL elected president; percent of votes in a runoff - Macky SALL 65.8%, Abdoulaye WADE 34.2%
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote and 60 elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly - last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held in 2017)
election results: National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition 119, PDS 12, Bokk Giss Giss coalition 4, MCRN-Bes Du Nakk 4, PVD 2, MRDS 2, URD 1, AJ/PADS 1, other 5
highest court(s): Highest Appeals Court or Cour de Cassation (consists of 13 judges including the court president); Constitutional Council (consists of 5 members including the court president, vice-president, and 3 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Highest Appeals Court judges' tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president of the republic to serve 6-year terms with renewal of 3 members every two years
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; regional and first instance courts
African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]
other: labor; students; Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mourides and Tidjanes; teachers
ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Cheikh NIANG (since 13 July 2012)
chancery: 2031 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUKENS (since 11 July 2011); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau
embassy: Route des Almadies, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: [221] 33-879-4000
FAX: [221] 33-822-2991
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; green represents Islam, progress, and hope; yellow signifies natural wealth and progress; red symbolizes sacrifice and determination; the star denotes unity and hope
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Mali and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea
name: "Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons)
lyrics/music: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER
note: adopted 1960; the lyrics were written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal's first president; the anthem is sometimes played incorporating the Koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and Balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title
Senegal relies heavily on donor assistance and foreign direct investment. The country's key export industries are phosphate mining, fertilizer production, and commercial fishing. The country is also working on iron ore and oil exploration projects. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to an economic reform program backed by the donor community, which led to real growth in GDP averaging over 5% annually during 1995-2007. Annual inflation was pushed down to the single digits. The global economic downturn reduced growth to 2.2% in 2009. The IMF completed a non-dispersing, Policy Support Initiative program in 2010 and approved a new three-year policy support instrument in December 2010 to assist with economic reforms. Senegal also receives disbursements from a $540 million Millennium Challenge Account for infrastructure and agriculture development. In 2012, the economy began to rebound after a weak 2011. The economy continues to suffer from unreliable power supply, which has led to public protests and high unemployment and has prompted migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe.
$26.29 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$13.89 billion (2012 est.)
3.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$2,000 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
19.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
household consumption: 80.5%
government consumption: 9%
investment in fixed capital: 30.8%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 25.3%
imports of goods and services: -46.2%
agriculture: 15%
industry: 22.9%
services: 62.1% (2012 est.)
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair
0.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
5.91 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
agriculture: 77.5%
industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.)
48% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 30.1% (2005)
41.3 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 54
revenues: $3.271 billion
expenditures: $4.094 billion (2012 est.)
23.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
-5.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
38.8% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
1.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
0.25% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
14.3% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
$3.577 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$5.818 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
$4.509 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
$-1.618 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$2.382 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Mali 14.4%, Switzerland 14.1%, India 11.9%, France 4.7%, Guinea 4.2% (2012)
$5.733 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
food and beverages, capital goods, fuels
France 16.2%, Nigeria 12.9%, India 6.3%, China 6.3%, UK 4.6% (2012)
$2.082 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
$4.221 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
2.769 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
2.22 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
638,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
99.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
0.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
15,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 182
15,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
40,600 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
561.8 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
23,760 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
20 million cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
20 million cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
7.088 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
338,200 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 110
11.47 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 73
general assessment: good system with microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly
international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber-optic cable provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2010)
state-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) operates 2 TV stations; a few private TV subscription channels rebroadcast foreign channels without providing any local news or programs; RTS operates a national radio network and a number of regional FM stations; many community and private-broadcast radio stations are available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar (2007)
237 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 197
1.818 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 76
20 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 136
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m:
gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2013)
total: 906 km
country comparison to the world: 92
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
total: 14,008 km
country comparison to the world: 125
paved: 4,099 km (includes 7 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,909 km (2003)
1,000 km (primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 64
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 150
by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2010)
Senegalese Armed Forces: Army, Senegalese National Navy (Marine Senegalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2013)
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 20 years of age for selective conscript service; service obligation is 2 years; women have been accepted into military service since 2008 (2013)
males age 16-49: 2,699,196
females age 16-49: 3,018,565 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 1,788,493
females age 16-49: 2,133,370 (2010 est.)
male: 145,509
female: 145,064 (2010 est.)
The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape armed confrontations along the border
refugees (country of origin): 13,702 (Mauritania) (2012)
IDPs: 10,000-40,000 (clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2012)
