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  Senegal  
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This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007


Map of Senegal



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Senegal Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
Independent from France in 1960, Senegal was ruled by the Socialist Party for forty years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. 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 most significant threat within Senegal since the 1980s has been led by the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC). Although a peace agreement was signed in December 2004, internal rifts continue to keep the peace process deadlocked. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. 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)
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
11,987,121 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 40.8% (male 2,467,021/female 2,422,385)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 3,346,756/female 3,378,518)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 174,399/female 198,042) (2006 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 19.1 years
male: 18.9 years
female: 19.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.34% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
32.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
9.42 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 52.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 56.49 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 49.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 59.25 years
male: 57.7 years
female: 60.85 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.38 children born/woman (2006 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: 40.2%
male: 50%
female: 30.7% (2003 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
new constitution 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 Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
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 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%; results are preliminary pending confirmation by the Constitutional Court
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly had 120 seats, but deputies in late 2006 voted to expand the number of seats to 140
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held 3 June 2007) note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006; parliamentary elections were rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February 2007 presidential elections but have been rescheduled once again
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10
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 (also known as AJ/PADS) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; 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 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]; Rewmi [Idrissa SECK]; 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 and Mouride brotherhoods; 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, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, 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 Janice L. JACOBS
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:
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 1995-2006. 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
$22.01 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$8.562 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1,800 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 18.3%
industry: 19.2%
services: 62.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.749 million (2006 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%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
41.3 (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
41% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $2.023 billion
expenditures: $2.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $357 million (2006 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
17.8% of GDP (2006 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
3.2% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.453 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.351 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
31,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50 million cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$-895.2 million (2006 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.478 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Mali 16.9%, India 13.1%, France 9.5%, Spain 6.1%, Italy 5.5%, Gambia, The 4.6% (2005)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.98 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
food and beverages, capital goods, fuels
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 22.8%, Nigeria 11.4%, Brazil 4.5%, Thailand 4.3%, US 4.2%, UK 4% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.18 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.628 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$449.6 million (2003 est.)
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 - 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Senegal Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
266,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.73 million (2005)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; 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
412 (2006)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
540,000 (2005)
   Transportation    Senegal Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
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 (2006)
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 (2005)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 13,576 km
paved: 3,972 km (including 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) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - two 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
1.9% (2006 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 have 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 percent 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 8 March, 2007


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