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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.

[edit] Geography

Location 

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates 

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references 

Africa

Area 

total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative 

slightly smaller than South Dakota

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
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 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: 11.58%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 88.23% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

710 sq km (1998 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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

[edit] People

Population 

10,589,571 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 43.5% (male 2,321,789; female 2,290,105)
15-64 years: 53.4% (male 2,710,178; female 2,943,554)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 159,445; female 164,500) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

2.91% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

36.99 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

8.14 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

55.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 62.93 years
female: 64.61 years (2002 est.)
male: 61.29 years

Total fertility rate 

5.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

1.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

95,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

10,000 (2001 est.)

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 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages 

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 39.1%
male: 51.1%
female: 28.9% (2001 est.)

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal
local short form: Senegal
local long form: Republique du Senegal

Government type 

republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital 

Dakar

Administrative divisions 

10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
note: there may be another region called Matam

Independence 

4 April 1960 (from France); complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday 

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution 

a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system 

based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch 

chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Idrissa SECK (since 4 November 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou DIOUF (PS) 41.51%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term under new constitution; election last held 27 February and 19 March 2000 (next to be held 27 February 2005); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch 

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001, had 140 seats

Judicial branch 

Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note-the judicial system was reformed in 1992

Political parties and leaders 

African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders 

labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation 

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou L. BA
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
consulate(s) general: New York
telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet L. ELAM-THOMAS
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: [221] 823-4296
FAX: [221] 822-2991

Flag description 

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which is linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during 1995-2001. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1%, but rose to an estimated 3.3% in 2001. Investment rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $16.2 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

5.7% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $1,580 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 19%
industry: 21%
services: 61% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: 1%
highest 10%: 43% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 

41 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

3.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

NA

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture 70%

Unemployment rate 

48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $1.373 billion
expenditures: $1.373 billion, including capital expenditures of $357 million (2002 est.)

Industries 

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate 

5.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production 

1.32 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

1.228 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Exports 

$1 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities 

fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners 

France 19%, Italy 12%, Spain 6%, Cote d'Ivoire 2% (2000)

Imports 

$1.3 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Imports - commodities 

foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners 

France 27%, Nigeria 19%, Germany 4%, US 4%, Italy 3% (2000)

Debt - external 

$3.1 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$362.6 million (2002 est.)

Currency 

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code 

XOF

Exchange rates 

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 742.79 (January 2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

234,916 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

373,965 (2001)

Telephone system 

general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios 

1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

1 (1997)

Televisions 

361,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.sn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

1 (2002)

Internet users 

100,000 (2002)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double-tracked) (2001)

Highways 

total: 14,576 km
paved: 4,271 km
unpaved: 10,305 km (1996)

Waterways 

897 km
note: 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river

Ports and harbors 

Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Airports 

20 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - military age 

18 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 2,406,337 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 1,257,423 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually 

males: 114,189 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$68.6 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

1.4% (FY02)

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

Senegalese separatists disrupt legal border trade with smuggling, cattle rustling, and other illegal activities in Guinea-Bissau

Illicit drugs 

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis