1996 Edition

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

Location

14 00 N, 14 00 W -- Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly smaller than South Dakota

land area

192,000 sq km

total area

196,190 sq km

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (December to April) has strong southeast winds; dry season (May to November) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Coastline

531 km

Environment

current issues

wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Marine Dumping

natural hazards

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Geographic coordinates

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Geographic note

The Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal

International disputes

short section of the boundary with The Gambia is indefinite; boundary with Mauritania in dispute

Irrigated land

1,800 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

total

2,640 km

Land use

arable land

27%

forest and woodland

31%

meadows and pastures

30%

other

12%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Terrain

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

highest point

unnamed location in the Futa Jaldon foothills 581 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 48% (male 2,188,338; female 2,197,015) 15-64 years: 49% (male 2,111,330; female 2,336,987) 65 years and over: 3% (male 128,939; female 130,140) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

45.46 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

11.76 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Wolof 36%, Fulani 17%, Serer 17%, Toucouleur 9%, Diola 9%, Mandingo 9%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 2%

Infant mortality rate

64 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo

Life expectancy at birth

female

59.3 years (1996 est.)

male

53.75 years

total population

56.49 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

23.2%

male

43%

total population

33.1%

Nationality

adjective

Senegalese

noun

Senegalese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

9,092,749 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.37% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)

Sex ratio

all ages

0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.99 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

6.31 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Capital

Dakar

Constitution

3 March 1963, revised 1991

Data code

SG

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mamadou Mansour SECK

telephone

[1] (202) 234-0540, 0541

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president

chief of state

President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981) was elected for a seven-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 21 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 2000); results - Abdou DIOUF (PS) 58.4%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 32.03%, other 9.57%

head of government

Prime Minister Habib THIAM (since 7 April 1991) was appointed by the president

FAX

[221] 22 29 91

Flag

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

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)

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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of Senegal

conventional short form

Senegal

local long form

Republique du Senegal

local short form

Senegal

National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)

elections last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - PS 70%, PDS 23%, other 7%; seats - (120 total) PS 84, PDS 27, LD-MPT 3, Let Us Unite Senegal 3, PIT 2, UDS-R 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Other political or pressure groups

students; teachers; labor; Muslim Brotherhoods

Political parties and leaders

Socialist Party (PS), President Abdou DIOUF; Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), Abdoulaye WADE; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT), Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY; Independent Labor Party (PIT), Amath DANSOKHO; Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal (UDS-R), Mamadou Puritain FALL; Let Us Unite Senegal (coalition of African Party for Democracy and Socialism and National Democratic Rally); other small uninfluential parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic under multiparty democratic rule

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Mark JOHNSON

embassy

Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar

mailing address

B. P. 49, Dakar

telephone

[221] 23 42 96, 23 34 24

Agriculture

peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish catch of 409,000 metric tons in 1992

Budget

expenditures

$197.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

revenues

$876 million

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $439 million (1993)

Economic overview

In 1994 Senegal embarked on its most concerted structural adjustment effort yet to exploit the 50% devaluation of the currencies of the 14 Francophone African nations on 12 January of that year. After years of foot-dragging, the government has passed a liberalized labor code which should lower the cost of labor and improve the manufacturing sector's competitiveness. Inroads also have been made in closing tax loopholes, eliminating monopoly power in several sectors, and privatizing state owned firms. At the same time, the government is holding the line on current fiscal expenditure under the watchful eyes of international organizations on which it depends for substantial support. The IMF, in mid-1995, announced that the government met most economic targets as called for in its Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility agreement and released the second $50 million tranche. The country's narrow resource base, environmental degradation, and untamed population growth will continue to hold back improvement in living standards over the medium term.

Electricity

capacity

230,000 kW

consumption per capita

79 kWh (1993)

production

720 million kWh

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 500.56 (January 1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991)

note

beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports

$940 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

fish, ground nuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

partners

France, other EU countries, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali

External debt

$3.8 billion (1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $14.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,600 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

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

Imports

$1.1 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities

foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum

partners

France, other EU countries, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, China, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.1% (1995)

Labor force

2.509 million (77% are engaged in subsistence farming; 175,000 wage earners)

by occupation

private sector 40%, government and parapublic 60%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $82 million, 2.1% of GDP (1996 est.)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,864,239

males fit for military service

973,170

males reach military age (18) annually

90,154 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

850,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

above-average urban system; microwave radio relay and cable trunk system

international

3 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

55,000 (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

61,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

17

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

8

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

1

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

2 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

3,900 km

total

13,850 km

unpaved

9,950 km (1990 est.)

Merchant marine

total

1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,995 GRT/3,775 DWT (1995 est.)

Ports

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

Railways

narrow gauge

904 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double track) (1995)

total

904 km

Waterways

897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum