2015 Edition

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, and several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, 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 election with Macky SALL, a former ally and prime minister. Since taking office, SALL has launched an economic reform program aimed at boosting economic growth, and his administration has conducted corruption investigations against senior figures in WADE's government.

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

221.6 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

1,197 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries (5)

The Gambia 749 km, Guinea 363 km, Guinea-Bissau 341 km, Mali 489 km, Mauritania 742 km

total

2,684 km

Land use

arable land 17.4%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 29.1%

agricultural land

46.8%

forest

43.8%

other

9.4% (2011 est.)

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

38.8 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

42.16% (male 2,960,395/female 2,931,298)

15-24 years

20.4% (male 1,420,180/female 1,431,571)

25-54 years

30.67% (male 1,960,745/female 2,325,620)

55-64 years

3.84% (male 233,892/female 303,394)

65 years and over

2.92% (male 184,196/female 224,543) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

34.52 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

22% (2005 est.)

total number

657,216

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.8% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

17.8% (2012/13)

Death rate

8.46 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5%

potential support ratio

18.2% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

87.6%

youth dependency ratio

82.1%

Drinking water source

urban: 92.9% of population

rural: 67.3% of population

total: 78.5% of population

urban: 7.1% of population

rural: 32.7% of population

total: 21.5% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

5.6% of GDP (2010)

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%

Health expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.53% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,400 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

44,000 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.3 beds/1,000 population (2008)

Infant mortality rate

female

45.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

57.62 deaths/1,000 live births

total

51.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

63.42 years (2015 est.)

male

59.29 years

total population

61.32 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

46.6% (2015 est.)

male

69.7%

total population

57.7%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2013)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, and yellow fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

DAKAR (capital) 3.52 million (2015)

Median age

female

19.4 years (2015 est.)

male

17.7 years

total

18.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Senegalese

noun

Senegalese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-1.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.3% (2014)

Physicians density

0.06 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

13,975,834 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

2.45% (2015 est.)

Religions

Muslim 94% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 65.4% of population

rural: 33.8% of population

total: 47.6% of population

urban: 34.6% of population

rural: 66.2% of population

total: 52.4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

8 years (2010)

male

8 years

total

8 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.84 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.77 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.44 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

20.1% (2006 est.)

male

11.9%

total

14.8%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.59% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

43.7% of total population (2015)

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 44 N, 17 38 W

name

Dakar

time difference

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

Constitution

previous 1959 (preindependence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001; amended many times, last in 2009 (2014)

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 James P. Zumwalt (since 9 January 2015); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau

embassy

Route des Almadies, Dakar

FAX

[221] 33-822-2991

mailing address

B. P. 49, Dakar

telephone

[221] 33-879-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Babacar DIAGNE (since 18 November 2014)

consulate(s) general

Houston, New York

embassy

2215 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007

FAX

[1] (202) 629-2961

telephone

[1] (202) 234-0540

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012)

election results

Macky SALL elected president; percent of vote in runoff - Macky SALL ( Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar ) 65.8%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 34.2%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 February 2012 with a runoff on 25 March 2012 (next to be held in 2019); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Mohammed Abdallah Boun DIONNE (since 4 July 2014)

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 law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation (consists of NA judges); Constitutional Council (consists of 5 members including the court president, vice-president, and 3 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Court of Final Appeals judges' appointed by the president upon recommendation of the Higher Council of the Judiciary, a body chaired by the president of the republic; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members appointed by the president of the republic to serve 6-year terms with renewal of 3 members every 2 years

subordinate courts

High Court of Justice (for crime of high treason by president); Supreme Court (for abuses by government executives and local officials); Court of Auditors; Courts of Appeal; Assize Courts (4); Regional and District Courts, Labor Court

Legal system

civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition 119, PDS 12, Bokk Giss Giss coalition 4, MCRN-Bes Du Nakk 4, PVD 2, MRDS 2, URD 1, AJ/PADS 1, other 5

elections

National Assembly - last held on 1 July 2012 (next to be held in 2017)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER

name

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

note

adopted 1960; lyrics written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal's first president; the anthem sometimes played incorporating the Koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and Balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

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 [Mamadou DIOP, Landing SAVANE]

Benno Bokk Yakaar coaltion [Macky SALL]

Benno Siggil Senegal (a coalition of opposition parties)

Bokk Giss Giss coalition [pape DIOP]

Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk

Convergence Democratique ?BOKK GIS GIS’ (Common Vision) Pape DIOP

Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Mamadou NDOYE]

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 [Magette THIAM]

People's Labor Party or PTP [El Hadji DIOUF]

Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]

Republican Movement for Socialism and Democracy or MRDS

Rewmi Party [Idrissa SECK]

Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]

Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]

Union Centriste du Senegal or UCS [Abdoulaye BALDE']

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

Budget

expenditures

$4.662 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$3.844 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

0.25% (31 December 2010)

4.25% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.3% (31 December 2014 est.)

14% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$1.602 billion (2014 est.)

-$1.598 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$5.747 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$4.91 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.3 (2011)

Economy - overview

Senegal’s economy is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fisheries and agriculture which is the primary source of employment in rural areas. The country's key export industries include phosphate mining, fertilizer production, agricultural products and commercial fishing and it is also working on oil exploration projects. Senegal relies heavily on donor assistance, remittances and foreign direct investment. President Macky SALL, who was elected in March 2012 under a reformist policy agenda, inherited an economy with high energy costs, a challenging business environment, and a culture of overspending. Senegal received technical support from the IMF in 2010-2014 under a Policy Support Instrument to assist economic reform through sound macroeconomic and fiscal policies to reduce the fiscal deficit, increase transparency and facilitate private investment. President SALL unveiled an ambitious economic plan, the Emerging Senegal Plan, which aims to implement priority economic reforms and investment projects to increase economic growth. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and a challenging business climate are among the perennial challenges that may slow the implementation of this plan. Investors have signaled confidence in the country through Senegal’s successful Eurobond issuances in recent years, including in 2014.

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

494.4 (2014 est.)

494 (2013 est.)

510.53 (2012 est.)

471.87 (2011 est.)

495.28 (2010)

Exports

$2.462 billion (2014 est.)

$2.563 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Mali 16%, Switzerland 10.5%, UAE 5.2%, France 4.6% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

21.1%

government consumption

16.6%

household consumption

73.1%

imports of goods and services

-38.5%

investment in fixed capital

23.5%

investment in inventories

4.2%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

15.6%

industry

23.8%

services

60.6% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,300 (2014 est.)

$2,200 (2013 est.)

$2,100 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.5% (2014 est.)

3.5% (2013 est.)

3.4% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$15.58 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$33.61 billion (2014 est.)

$32.15 billion (2013 est.)

$31.06 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

17.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

16.4% of GDP (2013 est.)

19% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

31.1% (2011)

lowest 10%

2.5%

Imports

$5.481 billion (2014 est.)

$5.698 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners

France 18.4%, Nigeria 8.7%, China 7.7%, Netherlands 6.3%, India 5.8%, Turkey 4.6%, Belgium 4.3% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.5% (2014 est.)

0.7% (2013 est.)

Labor force

6.326 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

77.5%

industry and services

22.5% (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

46.7% (2011 est.)

Public debt

47.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

43.6% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.95 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.253 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$6.443 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.574 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$5.549 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$5.394 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$4.086 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$4.177 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

48% (2007 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

7.139 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

15,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

2.586 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

99.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

623,000 kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

3.148 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

20.48 million cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

20.48 million cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

43,720 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

562 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

23,760 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

35,800 bbl/day (2011 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; many 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 users

percent of population

22.0% (2014 est.)

total

3 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

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) (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

310,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

105 (2014 est.)

total

14.4 million

Television broadcast stations

7 (2008)

Airports

20 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

6

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2013)

over 3,047 m

2

total

9

Airports - with unpaved runways

1 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

7

914 to 1,523 m

3

total

11

Merchant marine

by type

passenger/cargo 1 (2010)

total

1

Pipelines

gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Dakar

Railways

narrow gauge

906 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

total

906 km

Roadways

paved

5,300 km (includes 7 km of expressways)

total

15,000 km

unpaved

9,700 km (2015)

Waterways

1,000 km (primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance Rivers) (2012)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

3,018,565 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

2,699,196

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

2,133,370 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

1,788,493

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

145,064 (2010 est.)

male

145,509

Military branches

Senegalese Armed Forces: Army, Senegalese National Navy (Marine Senegalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2013)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; 20 years of age for selective conscript service; 2-year service obligation; women have been accepted into military service since 2008 (2013)

Disputes - international

The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from southern Senegal's Casamance region

Illicit drugs

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

up to 24,000 (clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2014)

refugees (country of origin)

13,699 (Mauritania) (2014)