2010 Edition

Background

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. 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 and has amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and to weaken the opposition, part of the President's increasingly autocratic governing style. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation.

Area

land

192,530 sq km

total

196,722 sq km

water

4,192 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Climate

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

Coastline

531 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed elevation southwest of Kedougou 581 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

190 cu m/yr (2002)

total

2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)

Geographic coordinates

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Geography - note

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

Irrigated land

1,200 sq km (2003)

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

12.51%

other

87.25% (2005)

permanent crops

0.24%

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 hazards

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Natural resources

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Terrain

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Total renewable water resources

39.4 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.2% (male 2,911,324/female 2,877,804) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 3,728,664/female 3,786,000) 65 years and over: 3% (male 190,343/female 217,462) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

37.27 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

9.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic 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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

1,800 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

67,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

50.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

64.34 deaths/1,000 live births

total

57.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Life expectancy at birth

female

61.34 years (2010 est.)

male

57.48 years

total population

59.38 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

29.2% (2002 est.)

male

51.1%

total population

39.3%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, and yellow fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Median age

female

18.7 years (2010 est.)

male

17.1 years

total

17.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Senegalese

noun

Senegalese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

12,323,252 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.579% (2010 est.)

Religions

Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2008)

male

8 years

total

8 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.86 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

42% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Capital

geographic coordinates

14 40 N, 17 26 W

name

Dakar

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 7 January 2001

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Senegal

conventional short form

Senegal

former

Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation

local long form

Republique du Senegal

local short form

Senegal

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marcia S. BERNICAT

embassy

Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar

FAX

[221] 33-822-2991

mailing address

B. P. 49, Dakar

telephone

[221] 33-829-2100

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Fatou Danielle DIAGNE

consulate(s) general

Houston, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6315

telephone

[1] (202) 234-0540

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)

election results

Abdoulaye WADE reelected president; percent of vote - Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG 13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Soulayemane Ndene NDIAYE (since 1 May 2009)

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 note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Mali and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea

Government type

republic

Independence

4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP (associate), 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, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate, reinstituted in 2007, (100 seats; 35 members indirectly elected and 65 members appointed by the president) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote and 60 elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms)

election results

Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president; National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19

elections

Senate - last held on 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA); National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held in 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 for 3 June 2007; the election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including the former ruling Socialist Party, which resulted in a record-low 35% voter turnout

National anthem

lyrics/music

Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER note: adopted 1960; the lyrics were written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal"s first president; the anthem is sometimes played incorporating the Koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and Balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title

name

"Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Political parties and leaders

African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar [Macky Sall]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]; 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 [El Hadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Rewmi Party [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

other

labor; students; Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mourides and Tidjanes; teachers

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009) 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA%

Current account balance

-$1.046 billion (2010 est.) -$1.356 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$3.885 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.462 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

41.3 (2001) 41.3 (1995)

Economy - overview

Senegal relies heavily on donor assistance. The country's key export industries are phosphate mining, fertilizer production, and commercial fishing. The country is also working on iron ore and oil exploration projects. In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. 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 1995-2008. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the single digits. The country was adversely affected by the global economic downturn in 2009 and GDP growth fell below 2%. 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. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal benefited from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt. In 2007, Senegal and the IMF agreed to a new, non-disbursing, Policy Support Initiative program which was completed in 2010. Senegal received its first disbursement from the $540 million Millennium Challenge Account compact it signed in September 2009 for infrastructure and agriculture development. In 2010, the Senegalese people protested against frequent power cuts. The government pledged to expand capacity by 2012 and to promote renewable energy but until Senegal has more capacity, more protests are likely and economic activity will be hindered. During the year, bakers protested government price controls on bread. Foreign investment in Senegal is constrained by Senegal's business environment, which has slipped in recent years, and by perceptions of corruption.

Electricity - consumption

1.384 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 507.71 (2010), 470.9 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006)

Exports

$2.112 billion (2010 est.) $1.902 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners

Mali 20.12%, India 9.84%, Gambia 5.58%, France 5.02%, Italy 4.23% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

14.9%

industry

21.4%

services

63.6% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,900 (2010 est.) $1,900 (2009 est.) $1,900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.9% (2010 est.) 1.8% (2009 est.) 3.3% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.66 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$23.86 billion (2010 est.) $22.96 billion (2009 est.) $22.56 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.1% (2005)

Imports

$4.474 billion (2010 est.) $4.549 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners

France 19.58%, UK 9.64%, China 8.08%, Netherlands 5.64%, Thailand 4.75%, US 3.97% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

3.8% (2010 est.)

Industries

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.2% (2010 est.) -1% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

5.53 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

77.5%

industry and services

22.5% (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

50 million cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

50 million cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

NA cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

39,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

5,653 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

42,850 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

54% (2001 est.)

Public debt

32.1% of GDP (2010 est.) 29.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.123 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$4.603 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $4.745 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$3.516 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.412 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$2.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) $2.903 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

48% (2007 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) operates 2 TV stations; a few private TV subscription channels rebroadcast foreign channels without providing any local news or programs; RTS operates a national radio network and a number of regional FM stations; a large number of community and private-broadcast radio stations are available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar (2007)

Internet country code

.sn

Internet hosts

241 (2010)

Internet users

1.818 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly

general assessment

good system with 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) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

278,800 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6.902 million (2009)

Airports

20 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

10 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

passenger/cargo 1 (2010)

total

1

Pipelines

gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Dakar

Railways

narrow gauge

906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2008)

total

906 km

Roadways

paved

3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways)

total

13,576 km

unpaved

9,604 km (2003)

Waterways

1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 3,211,279 females age 16-49: 3,250,128 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 2,109,080 females age 16-49: 2,287,510 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

156,689 (2010 est.)

male

157,468

Military branches

Senegalese Armed Forces

Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2009)

Military expenditures

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Disputes - international

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

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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) (2007)

refugees (country of origin)

19,630 (Mauritania)