2023 Edition

Background

Senegal is one of the few countries in the world with evidence of continuous human life from the Paleolithic period to present. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Jolof Empire ruled most of Senegal. Starting in the 15th century, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain traded along the Senegalese coast. Senegal’s location on the western tip of Africa made it a favorable base for the European slave trade. European powers used the Senegalese island of Goree as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland, and at the height of the slave trade in Senegal, over one-third of the Senegalese population was enslaved. In 1815, France abolished slavery and began expanding inland. During the second half of the 19th century, France took possession of Senegal as a French colony. In 1959, the French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. The union broke up after only a few months. In 1982, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never implemented, and the union dissolved in 1989.Since the 1980s, the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance - a separatist movement based in southern Senegal - has led a low-level insurgency. Several attempts at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement have failed. Since 2012, despite sporadic incidents of violence, an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect. Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. The Socialist Party of Senegal ruled for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2007. WADE amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and weaken the opposition. In 2012, WADE’s decision to run for a third presidential term sparked public backlash that led to his defeat to current President Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum limited future presidents to two consecutive five-year terms. The change, however, does not apply to SALL's first term. In February 2019, SALL won his bid for reelection; his second term will end in 2024.

Area

land

192,530 sq km

total

196,722 sq km

water

4,192 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Dakota; slightly larger than twice the size of Indiana

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

highest point

unnamed elevation 2.8 km southeast of Nepen Diaka 648 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

69 m

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

2,684 km

Land use

agricultural land

46.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 17.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 29.1% (2018 est.)

forest

43.8% (2018 est.)

other

9.4% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, and Mauritania [m] ) - 1,641 km; Gambie (Gambia) (shared with Guinea [s] and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km)

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

Population distribution

the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Age structure

0-14 years

41.19% (male 3,858,937/female 3,714,062)

15-64 years

55.46% (male 4,925,324/female 5,271,627)

65 years and over

3.34% (2023 est.) (male 266,485/female 348,225)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

30.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

0.7% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

8.8%

women married by age 18

30.5%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.4% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

26.9% (2019)

Current health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

65.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal’s high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country’s large youth cohort – more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country’s high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged. Senegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa – and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country’s economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants).  

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.7

potential support ratio

17.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

81.5

youth dependency ratio

75.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 79.3% of population

improved: total

total: 87.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: 95.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 20.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 12.7% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 4.1% of population

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Wolof 39.7%, Pular 27.5%, Serer 16%, Mandinka 4.9%, Jola 4.2%, Soninke 2.4%, other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2019 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.03 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

35.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

31.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

French (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.1 years

male

68.5 years

total population

70.3 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

45.4% (2021)

male

68.4%

total population

56.3%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

3.340 million DAKAR (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

261 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

19.8 years

male

18.2 years

total

19 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9 years (2019 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Senegalese

noun

Senegalese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.8% (2016)

Physicians density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

18,384,660 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.52% (2023 est.)

Religions

Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 55.5% of population

improved: total

total: 74.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 94.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 44.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 25.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 5.9% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2021)

male

8 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.77 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.7% (2020 est.)

male

13.1% (2020 est.)

total

6.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.17 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

49.6% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

etymology

the Atlantic coast trading settlement of Ndakaaru came to be called "Dakar" by French colonialists

geographic coordinates

14 44 N, 17 38 W

name

Dakar

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal

dual citizenship recognized

no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires Assembly approval and approval in a referendum; the president can bypass a referendum and submit an amendment directly to the Assembly, which requires at least three-fifths majority vote; the republican form of government is not amendable; amended several times, last in 2019

history

previous 1959 (preindependence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Senegal

conventional short form

Senegal

etymology

named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; many theories exist for the origin of the river name; perhaps the most widely cited derives the name from "Azenegue," the Portuguese appellation for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river

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 Michael RAYNOR (since 10 March 2022); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau

email address and website

DakarACS@state.govhttps://sn.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Route des Almadies, Dakar

mailing address

2130 Dakar Place, Washington DC  20521-2130

telephone

[221] 33-879-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2215 M ST NW, Washington, DC 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador Mansour Elimane KANE (since 6 January 2020)

consulate(s) general

Houston, New York

email address and website

contact@ambasenegal-us.orghttp://www.ambasenegal-us.org/index.php

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6315; [1] (202) 629-2961

telephone

[1] (202) 234-0540

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012)

election results

2019: Macky SALL elected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7%, other 5.5% 2012: Macky SALL elected president in second round; percent of vote - Macky SALL 65.8%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 34.2% 

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term; election last held on 24 February 2019 (next to be held in February 2024)

head of government

Prime Minister Amadou BA (since 17 September 2022)

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

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

presidential 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, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionel (consists of 7 members, including the court president, vice president, and 5 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon recommendation of the Superior Council of the Magistrates, a body chaired by the president and minister of justice; judge tenure varies, with mandatory retirement either at 65 or 68 years; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the president and 2 by the National Assembly speaker; judges serve 6-year terms, with renewal of 2 members every 2 years

subordinate courts

High Court of Justice (for crimes of high treason by the president); Courts of Appeal; Court of Auditors; assize courts; 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 Assemblée Nationale (165 seats; 112 members including 15 representing Senegalese diaspora directly elected by plurality vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies and 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote in a single nationwide constituency; member term is 5-years)

election results

National Assembly results - percent of vote by party/coalition - BBY 46.6%, YAW 32.9%, WS 14.5%, other 6%;  seats by party/coalition - BBY 82, YAW 56, WS 24, other 3; composition - men 95, women 70, percent of women 42.4%

elections

National Assembly - last held on 31 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER

name

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

note

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 heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Island of Gorée (c); Niokolo-Koba National Park (n); Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (n); Island of Saint-Louis (c); Stone Circles of Senegambia (c); Saloum Delta (c); Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula, and Bedik Cultural Landscapes (c)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (5 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties and leaders

African Patriots for Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity [Ousmane SONKO]Alliance for Citizenship and Work or ACT [Abdoul MBAYE]Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR [Macky SALL]Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope) [Mahammed DIONNE] (coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP)Bokk Gis Gis coalition [Pape DIOP]Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk [Mansour Sy DJAMIL]Dare the Future movement [Aissata Tall SALL]Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Mamadou NDOYE]Democratic Renaissance Congress [NA]Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]Gainde Centrist Bloc or BCG [Jean-Paul DIAS Mendes]General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR [Thierno BOCOUM]Grand Party or GP [Malick GAKOU]Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Maguette THIAM]Jotna Coalition [Dr Abdoulaye Niane]Liberate the People (Yewwi Askan Wi) or YAW [Barthelemy DIAS, Ousmane SONKO, Khalifa SALL]Madicke 2019 coalition [Madicke NIANG]National Union for the People or UNP [Abdoul MBAYE]Only Senegal Movement [Pierre Goudiaby ATEPA]Party for Truth and Development or PVD [Cheikh Ahmadou Kara MBAKE]Party of Unity and Rally or PUR [Cheikh Mouhamadou Moustapha SY]Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi [Abdoulaye BALDE]Rewmi Party [Idrissa SECK]Save Senegal (Wallu Senegal Grand Coalition) or WS [Abdoulaye WADE] (coalition includes PDS, Jotna Coalition, Democratic Renaissance Congress)Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]Tekki Movement [Mamadou Lamine DIALLO]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

groundnuts, watermelons, rice, sugar cane, cassava, millet, maize, onions, sorghum, vegetables

Budget

expenditures

$5.662 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$4.76 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2017)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2000)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$795.648 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$1.526 billion (2017 est.)

Current account balance 2018

-$2.215 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$6.327 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$8.571 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

lower middle-income, services-driven West African economy; key mining, construction, agriculture, and fishing industries; tourism and exports hit hard by COVID-19; large informal economy; developing offshore oil and gas fields; systemic corruption

Exchange rates

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

580.657 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

555.446 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

585.911 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$4.593 billion (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$5.287 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, refined petroleum, phosphoric acid, fish, ground nuts (2019)

Exports - partners

Mali 22%, Switzerland 14%, India 9%, China 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

27% (2017 est.)

government consumption

15.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

71.9% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-42.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

3.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

16.9% (2017 est.)

industry

24.3% (2017 est.)

services

58.8% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$23.576 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

38.1 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

31.1% (2011)

lowest 10%

2.5%

Imports

Imports 2017

$7.499 billion (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$8.96 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rice, cars, malt extract, clothing and apparel (2019)

Imports - partners

China 17%, France 11%, Belgium 7%, Russia 7%, Netherlands 7% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

10.91% (2021 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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

0.46% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.76% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

2.55% (2020 est.)

Labor force

4.377 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

46.7% (2011 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

47.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

48.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$54.89 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$55.618 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$58.991 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

4.61% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

1.33% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.06% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$3,400 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$3,400 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$3,500 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$116.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$1.827 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.38% (of GDP) (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

2.86% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

3.62% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

3.72% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

7.5%

male

3.5%

total

5% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.955 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

101,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

8.64 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

10.696 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

894,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

894,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

4,735,980,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

324 million kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.312 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

764 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

43.4% (2021)

electrification - total population

67.9% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

93.9% (2021)

population without electricity

5 million (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

84.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

6.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

9.221 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

60.003 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

60.003 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

20,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

57,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

4,063 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

32,050 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

17,590 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

153,813 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) broadcasts TV programs from five cities in Senegal; in most regions of the country, viewers can receive TV programming from at least 7 private broadcasters; a wide range of independent TV programming is available via satellite; RTS operates a national radio network and a number of regional FM stations; at least 7 community radio stations and 18 private-broadcast radio stations are available; transmissions of at least 5 international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar (2019)

Internet country code

.sn

Internet users

percent of population

58% (2021 est.)

total

9.86 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 2 per 100 and mobile-cellular 118 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Senegal’s telecom market continues to show steady growth in all sectors; this has been supported by the particular demands made on consumers during the pandemic, which resulted in a particularly strong increase in the number of subscribers; the mobile subscriber base increased 6.7% in 2020, year-on-year, and by 4.1% in 2021, while the number of fixed broadband subscribers increased 17.5% year-on-year in 2021; mobile internet platforms account for the vast majority of all internet accesses; quality of service issues continue to plague the market, with the regulator periodically issuing fines to the market players (2022)

international

country code - 221; landing points for the ACE, Atlantis-2, MainOne and SAT-3/WASC submarine cables providing connectivity from South Africa, numerous western African countries, Europe and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

297,046 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

120 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

20,854,830 (2022 est.)

Airports

20 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

9

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

11

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

6V

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 29

total

35 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

40,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

21,038 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

11

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Pipelines

43 km gas, 8 km refined products (2017)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Dakar

Railways

narrow gauge

906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

total

906 km (2017) (713 km operational in 2017)

Roadways

paved

6,126 km (2017) (includes 241 km of expressways)

total

16,665 km (2017)

unpaved

10,539 km (2017)

Waterways

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

Military - note

despite limited resources, the FAS is considered to be a well-equipped, experienced, and professional military; it has a history of non-interference in the country’s political process and good relations with civil authorities; it is experienced in foreign deployments and has received considerable assistance from the French military, which maintains a presence in Senegal, and the US, with smaller levels from Germany, Spain, and the UK; the FAS’s primary focuses are border, internal, and maritime security; it is closely watching the prevalence of multiple active terrorist groups across the region and political instability in neighboring Mali and Guinea and has recently established new military and gendarmerie camps along its eastern border; it also works with the government in areas such as preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and disaster responsethe Army is spread amongst seven military zones and organized into a mix of light infantry battalions and light armored reconnaissance squadrons, as well as airborne, special operations, and artillery battalions; the Gendarmerie includes mobile units, as well as the Presidential Guard (aka “The Red Guard”); the Navy is a small force of coastal patrol craft; in recent years it has acquired some modern platforms from France and Israel, including two offshore patrol vessels, to improve the Navy’s ability to patrol Senegal’s coastline and economic exclusion zone, conduct fisheries inspections, counter drug trafficking, and combat piracy; the Air Force is configured for supporting the ground forces and has a small number of light attack aircraft and helicopter gunships, as well as transport and reconnaissance aircraftSenegalese security forces have been engaged in a low-level counterinsurgency campaign in the southern Casamance region against various factions of the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MDFC) since 1982; the conflict is one of longest running low-level insurgencies in the World, having claimed more than 5,000 lives while leaving another 60,000 displaced; in May 2023, a faction of the MFDC agreed to a peace deal (2023)

Military and security forces

Senegalese Armed Forces (les Forces Armées Sénégalaises, FAS): Army, Senegalese National Navy (Marine Senegalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (l'Armee de l'Air du Senegal), National Gendarmerie (includes Territorial and Mobile components)Ministry of Interior: National Police (2023)

note

note: the National Police operates in major cities, while the Gendarmerie under the FAS primarily operates outside urban areas; both services have specialized anti-terrorism units

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 27,000 active personnel (13,000 Army; 1,500 Navy/Coast Guard; 1,500 Air Force; 11,000 National Gendarmerie) (2023)

Military deployments

200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 950 Mali (MINUSMA); note - Senegal also has up to 1,000 police deployed to UN peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAS inventory includes mostly older or secondhand equipment from a variety of countries, including France, South Africa, and Russia/former Soviet Union; in recent years, the FAS has undertaken a modernization program and has received small amounts of newer equipment from more than 10 countries, with France as the leading supplier (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.6% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 20 years of age for selective compulsory service for men and possibly women; 24-month service obligation (2023)

Disputes - international

Senegal-Guinea-Bissau: rebels from the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance find refuge in Guinea-Bissau

Illicit drugs

a transit point on the cocaine route from South America to Europe; large production of cannabis in southern Casamance region; the high domestic use of cannabis, crack cocaine and to a lesser extent heroin

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

8,400 (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

11,518 (Mauritania) (2023)

Terrorist group(s)

Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

10.9 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

11.74 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

38.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; periodic droughts; seasonal flooding; overfishing; weak environmental protective laws; wildlife populations threatened by poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to localized shortfalls in cereal production and reduced incomes - the latest analysis indicates that about 1.26 million people are projected to be acutely food insecure during the June to August 2023 lean season; this would be a significant deterioration compared to the previous year; the main drivers of acute food insecurity are macroeconomic challenges and high prices of basic food items (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

46.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 17.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 29.1% (2018 est.)

forest

43.8% (2018 est.)

other

9.4% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, and Mauritania [m] ) - 1,641 km; Gambie (Gambia) (shared with Guinea [s] and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

1.46% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

38.97 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.76 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

58 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

260 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

49.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

2,454,059 tons (2016 est.)