Background: Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with
The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982.
However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried
out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern
separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since
1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international
peacekeeping.
Government
type: republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital: Dakar
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF) = 100 centimes
Geography of Senegal
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
Geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 14 00 W
Area:
total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419
km, Mauritania 813 km
Coastline: 531 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong
southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m
Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 16%
forests and woodland: 54%
other: 18% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 710 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by
poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
overfishing.
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping
Geography - note: westernmost country on the African continent; The
Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal.
People of Senegal
About 70% of Senegal's population is rural. In rural areas, density
varies from about 77 per square kilometer (200 per sq. mi.) in the
west-central region to 2 per square kilometer (5 per sq. mi.) in the arid
eastern section. About 50,000 Europeans (mostly French) and Lebanese reside
in Senegal, mainly in the cities. French is the official language but is
used regularly only by the literate minority. All Senegalese speak an
indigenous language, of which Wolof has the largest usage.
Population: 11,126,832 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 44.07%
15-64 years: 52.88%
65 years and over: 3.05%
Population growth rate: 2.93%
Birth rate: 37.46 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 8.35 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: 0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 56.75 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.56 years
male: 60.94 years
female: 64.22 years
Total fertility rate: 5.12 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese
Ethnic groups: Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%,
Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%
Religions: Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% (mostly Roman
Catholic)
Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 33.1%
male: 43%
female: 23.2% (1995 est.)
SOURCES: The World Factbook, U.S. Department of State |