Senegal
Country Guide

Explore Senegal

Senegal with its capital Dakar is located in Africa (Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean). It covers some 196,723 square kilometers (slightly smaller than South Dakota) with a population of 14,668,500. French and Wolof are the languages spoken by people in Senegal. Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Mauritania are bordering countries.

Senegal is a country in Western Africa. With the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Senegal has Guinea-Bissau to the south, Guinea to the southeast, Mali to the east, and Mauritania to the north. Be careful with food prepared by the road, as it could be cooked in unsanitary conditions.

Popular Destinations in Senegal

Administrative regions of Senegal

• Dakar
• Diourbel
• Fatick
• Kaolack
• Kolda
• Louga
• Matam
• Region de Kaffrine
• Region de Kedougou
• Region de Sedhiou
• Region de Thies
• Saint-Louis
• Tambacounda
• Ziguinchor

About the country

The topography is generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast. The average density of population is about 75 per km². The climate in Senegal can be described as tropicalhot, humid, rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds, dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind. Potential natural disasters are lowlands seasonally flooded periodic droughts

To reach someone Senegal dial +221 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".sn". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: C, D, E, K). The sign for the locally used currency Franc is XOF.

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.

The French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. 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 implemented, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s. Several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict, but an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect since 2012. 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 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 with Macky SALL, whose term runs until 2019. A 2016 constitutional referendum reduced the term to five years with a maximum of two consecutive terms for future presidents.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 89)	196,722	sq km
Land (World Rank: 86)	192,530	sq km
Water (World Rank: 72)	4,192	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 58)	29.10	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than South Dakota
Coastline
531
Landborder
2684
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 237)	3	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 78)	46.80	%
Arable (World Rank: 66)	17.40	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 164)	0.30	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 58)	29.10	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 86)	1,200	sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues	- deforestation - desertification - overfishing - overgrazing - soil erosion - wildlife populations threatened by poaching
Agreement party	- 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
Hazzards	- lowlands seasonally flooded - periodic droughts
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
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

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 71)	14,668,500
Deathrate (World Rank: 85)	0.81	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 27)	3.34	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 26)	2.39	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 114)	-0.15	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 29)	4.28	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 209)	18.00
Female (World Rank: 199)	19.70
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 57)	3,060,120
0 14 female (World Rank: 57)	3,028,980
15 24 male (World Rank: 66)	1,486,390
15 24 female (World Rank: 64)	1,496,390
25 54 male (World Rank: 82)	2,102,760
25 54 female (World Rank: 71)	2,472,680
55 64 male (World Rank: 101)	251,673
55 64 female (World Rank: 90)	332,113
65 x male (World Rank: 103)	194,491
65 x female (World Rank: 108)	242,926
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 32)	4.91	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 195)	62	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 194)	64	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 196)	60	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 173)	0.06
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 179)	0.30
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 162)	47.60	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 145)	8.80	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 163)	78.50	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 126)	3,673,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 134)	3,014,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 65)	88.50	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 121)	7.80	%
Source renew (World Rank: 74)	8.20	%
Crude oil
Imports (World Rank: 66)	18,060	bbl / day
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 91)	16,850	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 107)	44,000	bbl / day
Export (World Rank: 99)	3,892	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 100)	30,120	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 85)	62,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 105)	497,000,000	m³
Carbon footprint
7300000

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Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 17)	7	% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 52)	2	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 151)	5	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 137)	-4	% of GDP
National symbol
lion
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Senegalese
Noun
Senegalese (singular and plural)
Background
The French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. 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 implemented, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s. Several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict, but an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect since 2012. 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 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 with Macky SALL, whose term runs until 2019. A 2016 constitutional referendum reduced the term to five years with a maximum of two consecutive terms for future presidents.
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; green represents Islam, progress, and hope; yellow signifies natural wealth and progress; red symbolizes sacrifice and determination; the star denotes unity and hope

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 115)	39,640,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 17)	6.70	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 195)	2,500	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 59)	17.20	%
Source industry (World Rank: 121)	23.70	%
Source service (World Rank: 134)	59.00	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 67)	6,737,000
In poverty (World Rank: 24)	46.70	%
Products
Industries	- agricultural - construction materials - fertilizer production - fish processing - gold mining - petroleum refining - phosphate mining - repair - ship construction - zircon
Agriculture	- cattle - corn - cotton - fish - green vegetables - millet - peanuts - pigs - poultry - rice - sorghum - tomatoes
Exports	- cotton - fish - groundnuts (peanuts) - petroleum products - phosphates
Imports	- beverages - capital goods - food - fuels

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 116)	285,933
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 181)	2.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 124)	106.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 90)	3,675,210
Population (World Rank: 167)	25.70	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 119)	9.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 126)	11.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 94)	906
Road
Total length (World Rank: 121)	16,496
Paved length (World Rank: 95)	5,957
Unpaved length (World Rank: 83)	10,539
Water
Total length (World Rank: 66)	1,000

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