Senegal
Republic of SenegalRépublique du Sénégal
presidential republicIndependence 4 April 1960 (from France)
Senegal as the 2025 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 150 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
20 fieldsLand useshare of 196,722 sq km
Climate
- tropical;
- hot, humid;
- rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds;
- dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
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 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
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
Geography - note
westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal
People and Society
36 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2024 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2025 est.)
Male · female(2023 est.)
Ethnic groups(2019 est.)
Religions
Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 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
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 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
- total population:
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
- total:
- 30.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- male:
- 34.4 deaths/1,000 live births
- female:
- 27.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Child marriage
- women married by age 15:
- 8.8% (2019)
- women married by age 18:
- 30.5% (2019)
- men married by age 18:
- 0.7% (2019)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2023 est.)
Environmental issues
- deforestation;
- overgrazing;
- soil erosion;
- desertification;
- droughts;
- seasonal flooding;
- overfishing;
- weak environmental laws;
- poaching
International environmental 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
Climate
- tropical;
- hot, humid;
- rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds;
- dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 49.6% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
10.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 456,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 9.859 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 58,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
- energy:
- 37 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- agriculture:
- 258.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- waste:
- 89.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- other:
- 4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 2.454 million tons (2024 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 11.9% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 261 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- industrial:
- 1.416 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- agricultural:
- 2.759 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Government
Presidential republic; President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024); Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO (since 2 April 2024)
23 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Senegal
- conventional short form:
- Senegal
- local long form:
- République du Sénégal
- local short form:
- Sénégal
- former:
- Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation
- etymology:
- named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country;
- the river's name may derive from "Azenegue," the Portuguese name for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river, or it could come from a local word meaning "navigable"
Capital
- name:
- Dakar
- geographic coordinates:
- 14 44 N, 17 38 W
- time difference:
- UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, D.C., during Standard Time)
- etymology:
- the name comes from the Wolof word n'dakar , meaning "tamarind tree"
Administrative divisions
- 14 regions ( régions , singular - région );
- Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kéedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
Constitution
- history:
- previous 1959 (pre-independence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001
- amendment process:
- 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
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO (since 2 April 2024)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the president
- election/appointment process:
- president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single, renewable 5-year term
- most recent election date:
- 24 March 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%
- expected date of next election:
- March 2029
Legislative branch
- legislature name:
- National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)
- legislative structure:
- unicameral
- number of seats:
- 165 (all directly elected)
- electoral system:
- mixed system
- scope of elections:
- full renewal
- term in office:
- 5 years
- most recent election date:
- 11/17/2024
- parties elected and seats per party:
- Pastef Party (130);
- Coalition Takku Wallu Sénégal (16);
- Other (19)
- percentage of women in chamber:
- 41.2%
- expected date of next election:
- November 2029
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 are 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
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 UNP
- Bokk 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 Congress
- Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS
- Socialist Party or PS
- Tekki Movement
- Réewum Ngor (Republic of Values)
- Servants (Les Serviteurs)
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Abdoul Wahab HAIDARA (since 24 July 2025)
- chancery:
- 2215 M ST NW, Washington, D.C. 20037
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 234-0540
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 629-2961
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; http://www.ambasenegal-us.org/index.php
- consulate(s) general:
- New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 10 March 2022); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau
- embassy:
- Route des Almadies, Dakar
- mailing address:
- 2130 Dakar Place, Washington D.C. 20521-2130
- telephone:
- [221] 33-879-4000
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://sn.usembassy.gov/
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
Independence
4 April 1960 (from France); 20 August 1960 (full independence after federation with Mali is dissolved)
Flag
- description:
- three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red, with a small five-pointed green star centered on the yellow band;
- green stands for Islam, progress, and hope, yellow for natural wealth and progress, and red for sacrifice and determination;
- the star represents unity and hope
- history:
- uses the colors of the Pan-African movement
note: the colors from left to right are the same as Mali's flag and the reverse of Guinea's flag
National anthem(s)
- title:
- "Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons)
- lyrics/music:
- Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER
- history:
- 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
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 7 (5 cultural, 2 natural)
- 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:
Economy
29 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2024 est.)
Budget(2023 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
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture:
- 15.5% (2024 est.)
- industry:
- 25.4% (2024 est.)
- services:
- 49.1% (2024 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Agricultural products
rice, groundnuts, watermelons, millet, cassava, sugarcane, maize, sorghum, onions, milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair
Labor force
5.763 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Unemployment rate
3% (2024 est.) · 2.8% (2023 est.) · 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
- total:
- 4.1% (2024 est.)
- male:
- 3.2% (2024 est.)
- female:
- 6.3% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
36.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Remittances
10.6% of GDP (2023 est.) · 10.5% of GDP (2022 est.) · 11.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
19.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Current account balance
-$6.072 billion (2023 est.) · -$5.542 billion (2022 est.) · -$3.327 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exports
$7.001 billion (2023 est.) · $7.418 billion (2022 est.) · $6.78 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
gold, refined petroleum, phosphoric acid, fish, cement (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$14.916 billion (2023 est.) · $14.698 billion (2022 est.) · $12.278 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rice, garments, wheat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Debt - external
$14.985 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 606.345 (2024 est.) · 606.57 (2023 est.) · 623.76 (2022 est.) · 554.531 (2021 est.) · 575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy
7 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 1.772 million kW(2023 est.)
Coal
- consumption:
- 138,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- exports:
- 21 metric tons (2023 est.)
- imports:
- 181,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 65,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 34.646 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
- consumption:
- 34.604 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2023 est.)
Broadcast media
- over 25 private TV stations;
- state-run Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS) broadcasts from five cities;
- wide range of independent TV available via satellite;
- hundreds of radio stations;
- transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar
Transportation
5 fieldsMerchant marine, 36 ships by typeone square, one ship · (2023)
Ports
- total ports:
- 6 (2024)
- large:
- 0
- medium:
- 1
- small:
- 1
- very small:
- 4
- ports with oil terminals:
- 4
- key ports:
- Dakar, Karabane, Lyndiane, M'bao Oil Terminal, Rufisque, St. Louis
Military and Security
7 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2025)
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
- Ministry of Interior:
- National Police (2025)
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, and the Gendarmerie has both Territorial and Mobile components
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military has a mix of older, secondhand, and some more modern equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, France, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Türkiye, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18-28 (up to 35 for specialized roles); 24-month service commitment (2025)
Military deployments
190 Central African Republic (MINUSCA; plus about 575 police); approximately 380 police Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)
Military - note
the Senegalese military is responsible for both territorial defense and internal security; it also assists the civilian government in such areas as preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and disaster response; key areas of focus for the military include a low-level insurgency in the country's south, maritime security, and securing the border against smuggling and Sahel-based Islamist insurgent groups affiliated with al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State;
the military participates in foreign peacekeeping deployments and multinational exercises; its closest security partner is France, which has long maintained a military presence in Senegal
Senegalese security forces have been engaged in a low-level counterinsurgency campaign in the southern Casamance region against 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 recent years, nearly all of the MDFC factions have agreed to cease hostilities (2025)
Space
3 fieldsSpace 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) (2025)
Space program overview
- small, nascent program focused on earth observation/remote sensing capabilities, largely for climate resilience, environmental management, research, and socio-economic development;
- conducts research in fields such as astronomy and planetary sciences;
- has cooperated with space agencies in China, France, Turkey, and the US, as well as the ESA (2025)
Key space-program milestones
- 2023 - signed cooperation agreement with ESA to leverage space technology for socio-economic growth; established a space control center to provide infrastructure for satellite manufacturing and satellite services
- 2024 - first Earth observation/remote sensing nanosatellite (GaindeSat-1A) built with French assistance and launched by US; signed agreement with Turkey on space infrastructure advancement; agreed to participate in China's lunar exploration/research station project
- 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration; signed agreement with France for capacity development in space infrastructure and Earth observation initiatives
Terrorism
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Senegal.” The World Factbook 2025. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/senegal.