2024 Edition Primary

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 loss to current President Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum limited future presidents to two consecutive five-year terms. President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE took office in April 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

40.7% (male 3,907,986/female 3,760,594)

15-64 years

55.9% (male 5,098,038/female 5,437,195)

65 years and over

3.4% (2024 est.) (male 277,290/female 366,416)

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

30.2 births/1,000 population (2024 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

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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%, Pulaar 27.5%, Sereer 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

1.98 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

27.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

34.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

31.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.4 years

male

68.8 years

total population

70.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

45.4% (2021)

male

68.4%

total population

56.3%

Major urban areas - population

3.340 million DAKAR (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

20 years

male

18.4 years

total

19.2 years (2024 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 (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.8% (2016)

Physician density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

9,564,205 (2024 est.)

male

9,283,314

total

18,847,519

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

2.46% (2024 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

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.76 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.7% (2020 est.)

male

13.1% (2020 est.)

total

6.9% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.06 children born/woman (2024 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, Kéedougou, 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, D.C., 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 (pre-independence), 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

République du Sénégal

local short form

Sénégal

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 D.C.  20521-2130

telephone

[221] 33-879-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2215 M ST NW, Washington, D.C. 20037

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Isidor Marcel SENE (since 31 August 2024)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

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

FAX

[1] (202) 629-2961

telephone

[1] (202) 234-0540

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024)

election results

2024: Bassirou Diomaye FAYE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (PASTEF) 54%, Amadou BA (APR) 36%, other 10%2019: Macky SALL reelected 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%  

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 March 2024 (next to be held in March 2029)

head of government

Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO (since 2 April 2024)

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, 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 Suprême  (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel  (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 Council

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

percent of vote by party/coalition - BBY 46.6%, YAW 32.9%, WS 14.5%, other 6%; seats by party/coalition - BBY 82, YAW 42, WS 24, other 17; composition - men 89, women 76, percentage women 46.1%

elections

last held on 31 July 2022 (next scheduled 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

Alliance for Citizenship and Work or ACT Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP AND (National Alliance for Democracy) And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS ARC (Alternative for the next generation of citizens) Awalé Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope); coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNPBokk Gis Gis coalition Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk Coalition Mimi 2024 Dare the Future movement Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT Democratic Renaissance Congress Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ Gainde Centrist Bloc or BCG General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR Grand Party or GP Gueum sa Bopp (Believe in yourself) Independence and Labor Party or PIT Jotna Coalition Liberate the People (Yewwi Askan Wi) or YAW Madicke 2019 coalition National Union for the People or UNP Only Senegal Movement Party for Truth and Development or PVD Party of Unity and Rally or PUR Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi PRP (Republican party for Progress) Rewmi Party Save Senegal (Wallu Senegal Grand Coalition) or WS; coalition includes PDS, Jotna Coalition, Democratic Renaissance CongressSenegalese Democratic Party or PDS Socialist Party or PS Tekki Movement Réewum Ngor (Republic of Values) Servants (Les Serviteurs)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

groundnuts, watermelons, rice, cassava, sugarcane, millet, maize, onions, sorghum, milk (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$6.424 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$6.423 billion (2022 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 2019

-$1.898 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$2.662 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$3.327 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$12.652 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

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 2019

585.911 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$5.836 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$5.063 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$6.78 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, phosphoric acid, refined petroleum, fish, precious metal products (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Mali 18%, India 16%, Switzerland 11%, US 8%, China 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

25.6% (2023 est.)

government consumption

14.7% (2023 est.)

household consumption

55.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-43.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

38.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

16.4% (2023 est.)

industry

23.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

50.8% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$31.014 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

36.2 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.8% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2019

$9.17 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$9.627 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$12.278 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, rice, crude petroleum, plastic products (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 22%, India 8%, France 7%, Belgium 5%, Netherlands 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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) 2020

2.54% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.18% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.7% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

5.257 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

Public debt 2017

48.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$71.874 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$74.621 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$77.382 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.54% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.82% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$4,300 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$4,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$4,400 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

11.25% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

10.89% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

9.47% of GDP (2023 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

18.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

3.37% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

2.97% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

2.93% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

6.7% (2023 est.)

male

2.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

4.1% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.134 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

92,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

7.926 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

9.152 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

502,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

502,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

7.025 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

326.425 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.668 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.057 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

43.4%

electrification - total population

67.9% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

96.6%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

74.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

10.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

9.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

7.836 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

54.498 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

54.646 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

55,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

153,813 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

Senegal’s media environment includes over 25 private television stations, hundreds of radio stations, and more than 45 newspapers.  State-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) broadcasts from five cities in Senegal and a wide range of independent TV programming is available via satellite; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar

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

297,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

120 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

20.855 million (2022 est.)

Airports

19 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

6V

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 30

total

36 (2023)

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

key ports

Dakar, Karabane, Lyndiane, M'bao Oil Terminal, Rufisque, St. Louis

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

4

small

1

total ports

6 (2024)

very small

4

Railways

narrow gauge

906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

total

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

Roadways

paved

6,126 km (includes 241 km of expressways)

total

16,665 km

unpaved

10,539 km (2017)

Waterways

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

Military - note

despite limited resources, the Senegalese military is considered to be a well-equipped, experienced, and effective force; the military has a tradition of non-interference in the country’s political process and positive relations with civil authorities; it participates in foreign deployments and multinational exercises and has received assistance from France, which maintains a military presence in the country, as well as Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US; the military’s primary focuses are border, internal, and maritime security; it also works with the civilian government in areas such as preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and disaster responseSenegal's security concerns include the prevalence of multiple active terrorist groups across the region and political instability in neighboring Mali and Guinea; Senegal has recently established new military and gendarmerie camps along its eastern border with MaliSenegalese 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 (2024)

Military and security forces

Senegalese Armed Forces (les Forces Armées Sénégalaises, FAS): Army (l’Armée de Terre, AT), Senegalese National Navy (Marine Séenéegalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (l'Arméee de l'Air du Séenéegal, AAS), National Gendarmerie (includes Territorial and Mobile components)Ministry of Interior: National Police (2024)

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 (15,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air Force; 16,000 National Gendarmerie); 15,000 National Police (2023)

Military deployments

200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA; plus about 525 police); 800 (ECOWAS Military Intervention in The Gambia--ECOMIG); 500 (ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau--EESMGB); 450 police Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of older, secondhand, and more modern equipment from a variety of countries, including France, South Africa, and Russia/former Soviet Union; in recent years, the military has undertaken a modernization program and has received newer equipment from more than 10 countries, including France and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

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 Expenditures 2023

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

19 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18 years of age for cadets); 24-month service commitment (2024)

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, ecstasy, and to a lesser extent crack cocaine

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

8,400 (2022)

refugees (country of origin)

11,518 (Mauritania) (2023)

Space agency/agencies

Senegalese Space Study Agency (Agence Sénégalaise d'Etudes Spatiales or ASES; launched in 2023 under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation) (2024)

Space program overview

small, nascent program focused on acquiring satellites, largely for socio-economic development and research; conducts research in such fields as astronomy and planetary sciences; has cooperated with the European Space Agency, and the space agencies of China, France, Turkey, and the US (2024)

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.)