Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and
Mauritania
Area: 196,190
sq km (slightly smaller than South Dakota)
Capital:
Dakar
Border Countries:
The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania
Climate:
Tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (December to April) has strong southeast
winds; dry season (May to November) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
Terrain:
Generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
Natural Resources:
Fish, phosphates, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 27%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows
and pastures: 30%; forest and woodland: 31%; other: 12%
Environment:
Current Issues:
wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil
erosion; desertification; overfishing Natural Hazards: lowlands
seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
People
Population:
10,284,929 (July 2001 est.); 0-14 years: 44% ; 15-64 years: 53%; 65 years and
over: 3%; Infant mortality rate: 56.75 deaths/1,000 live births
(2001 est.); Life expectancy at birth: 62.56 years.
People 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%
Languages:
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
Literacy:
Age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) Total population: 33.1%; male: 43%; female:
23.2%.
Government
Type of Government:
Republic under multiparty democratic rule
Independence:
20 August 1960 (from France; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12
December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be
known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)
Administrative divisions:
10 regions - Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis,
Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
National Holiday:
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
Legal System:
Based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in
Supreme Court, which also audits the government's accounting office; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Chief of State:
President Abdoulaye Wade (since 1 April 2000);
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Madior Boye (since 3 March 2001)
Flag:
Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small
green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band
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 in
1995-99. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA),
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. On the negative side,
Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, juvenile
delinquency, and drug addiction.
Labor force:
2.509 million (77% are engaged in subsistence farming)
Industries:
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, petroleum refining,
construction materials
Agriculture:
peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables;
cattle, poultry, pigs; fish
Currency:
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF)
Transportation:
Railways: total: 906 km; narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge
(70 km double track); Highways: total: 14,576 km; paved: 4,271
km; unpaved: 10,305 km (1996 );
Waterways: 897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on
the Saloum; Ports: Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard-Toll,
Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor
Religion
Senegal is a secular state with freedom of
religion. Three Muslim Sufi brotherhoods are influential in political and
economic life, but tolerance for other religions is a point of pride. As
Muslims make up over 90% of the populations, many peoples have never heard the
Gospel.
Religions:
Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2%
(mostly Roman Catholic)
