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  Senegal  
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This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


Map of Senegal
Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Senegal Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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, but 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. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. He was reelected in February 2007, but complaints of fraud led opposition parties to boycott June 2007 legislative polls. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.
   Geography    Senegal Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
14 00 N, 14 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Africa
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
531 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
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
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fish, phosphates, iron ore
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 12.51%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 87.25% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
1,200 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
39.4 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
Total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
Per capita: 190 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
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
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal
   People    Senegal Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12,521,851 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 42% (male 2,656,122/female 2,608,423)
15-64 years: 55% (male 3,426,504/female 3,454,372)
65 years and over: 3% (male 176,877/female 199,553) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 18.7 years
male: 18.5 years
female: 18.9 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.645% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
37.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.96 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.018 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.992 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.886 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 60.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 64.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 56.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 56.69 years
male: 55.34 years
female: 58.09 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.8% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
44,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
Definition Field Listing
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 39.3%
male: 51.1%
female: 29.2% (2002 est.)
   Government    Senegal Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
republic
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Dakar
geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted 7 January 2001
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Cheikh Hadjibou SOUMARE (since 19 June 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last held on 25 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdoulaye WADE reelected president in the first round of voting; percent of vote - Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG 13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote with the remaining members elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and the Senate reinstituted in 2007 (100 seats; 35 indirectly elected with the remaining 65 members to be appointed by the president)
elections: National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held 2012); note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006; legislative elections were first rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February 2007 presidential elections and later rescheduled for 3 June 2007; the June election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including the former ruling Socialist Party, that resulted in a record-low, 35-percent voter turnout; Senate - last held 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA)
election results: National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19; Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or (AJ/PADS) [Landing SAVANE]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla SYLLA]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's Labor Party or PTP [Elhadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition [Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
labor; Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mourides and Tidjanes; students; teachers
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
consulate(s) general: Houston, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jay Thomas Smith
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: [221] 33-823-4296
FAX: [221] 33-822-2991
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Economy    Senegal Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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 was 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 over 5% annually during 1995-2007. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in 2006. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$20.61 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$8.922 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1,700 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 16.7%
industry: 18.9%
services: 64.4% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.85 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 77%
industry and services: 23% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
48%; note - urban youth 40% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
54% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 33.4% (2001)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
41.3 (2001)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.4% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
39.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $2.212 billion
expenditures: $2.814 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship construction and repair
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.7% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.223 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.456 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
35,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,889 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
37,180 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
47.95 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
47.95 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
-$1.034 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.587 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Mali 19.2%, France 8.3%, India 5.8%, Gambia, The 5.3%, Spain 5.1%, Italy 4.9% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.253 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 25.1%, UK 5.2%, Thailand 4.8%, China 4.5%, Spain 4% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$689.3 million (2005 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.35 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.604 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Senegal Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
282,600 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.983 million (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; more than half of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar with expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
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)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.sn
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
199 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
650,000 (2006)
   Transportation    Senegal Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 43 km (2006)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 13,576 km
paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways)
unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Dakar
   Military    Senegal Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 2,443,840
females age 18-49: 2,461,939 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 1,558,175
females age 18-49: 1,642,533 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 129,331
females age 18-49: 129,398 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.4% (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Senegal Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
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 and internally displaced persons:
Definition Field Listing
refugees (country of origin): 19,712 (Mauritania)
IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the IDP population returned in 2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2006)
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


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