Senegal

Republic of Senegal

republic under multiparty democratic ruleIndependence 4 April 1960 from France

Senegal as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalDakar
Position14 00 N, 14 00 W
Area196,190 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
1997

Every edition of Senegal

Populationas each edition published it
9.4 million July 1997 est. · 7.71m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.35% 1997 est. · 3.1% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 17.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
56.93 years 1997 est. · 56.01 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.24 children per woman 1997 est. · 6.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
62.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 87 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$1,700 1996 est. · $780 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 1996 est. · 1.2% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 196,190 sq km

arable land 12%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 16%forests and woodland 54%other 18% (1993 est.)irrigated 710 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
196,190sq km
land: 192,000 sq kmwater: 4,190 sq kmslightly smaller than South Dakota
Coastline
531km
contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental marginexclusive economic zone : 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Land boundaries
2,640km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Climate

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

Terrain

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes

lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point :
unnamed location in the Futa Jaldon foothills 581 m

Natural resources

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Natural hazards

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to :
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Marine Dumping

Geography - note

The Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal

People

15 fields
Population
9,403,546
(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 3.35% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth
44.91Death
11.4Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1997 est.)56.93
54.15 · 59.79
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)
43% · 23.2%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write · total population : 33.1%

Ethnic groups

Wolof 36%Fulani 17%Serer 17%Toucouleur 9%Diola 9%Mandingo 9%European and Lebanese 1%other 2%

Religions

Muslim 92%indigenous beliefs 6%Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)

Age structure

0-14 years:
48% (male 2,259,765; female 2,270,363)
15-64 years:
49% (male 2,190,263; female 2,418,385)
65 years and over:
3% (male 130,742; female 134,028) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.98 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

62.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.24 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Senegalese

Languages

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo

Government

Republic under multiparty democratic rule; President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981); Prime Minister Habib THIAM (since 7 April 1991)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

58.4%
Abdou DIOUF (PS) 58.4%Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 32.03%other 9.57%

Legislature, 120 seats, elected 9 May 1993one dot, one seat

PS 84PDS 27LD-MPT 3AND/JEF-PADS 3PIT 2UDS-R 1

Percent of vote

PS 70%PDS 23%other 7%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Senegal
conventional short form:
Senegal
local long form :
Republique du Senegal
local short form:
Senegal

Government type

republic under multiparty democratic rule

Administrative divisions

10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Independence

4 April 1960 from France; complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 (The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution

3 March 1963, revised 1991

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981)
head of government:
Prime Minister Habib THIAM (since 7 April 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
elections :
  • president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  • election last held 21 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 2000);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Abdou DIOUF reelected president; percent of vote - Abdou DIOUF (PS) 58.4%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 32.03%, other 9.57%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results:
percent of vote by party - PS 70%, PDS 23%, other 7%; seats by party - PS 84, PDS 27, LD-MPT 3, AND/JEF-PADS 3, PIT 2, UDS-R 1

Judicial branch

  • under the terms of a reform of the judicial system implemented in 1992, the principal organs of the judiciary are as follows;
  • Constitutional Court;
  • Council of State;
  • Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cessation;
  • Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders

  • African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AND/JEF-PADS [Landing SAVANE, secretary-general];
  • Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY];
  • Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP Garab-Gi [Dr. Iba Der THIAM];
  • Independent Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO];
  • Let Us Unite Senegal (coalition of African Party for Democracy and Socialism and National Democratic Rally);
  • National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier DIOUF];
  • Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
  • Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal or UDS-R [Mamadou Puritain FALL];
  • Socialist Party or PS [President Abdou DIOUF];
  • other small uninfluential parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

  • students;
  • teachers;
  • labor;
  • Muslim Brotherhoods

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Mamadou Mansour SECK
chancery:
2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone :
[1] (202) 234-0540, 0541

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dane Farnsworth SMITH, Jr. (5 August 1996)
embassy:
Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address:
B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone:
[221] 23 42 96, 23 34 24

FAX

[221] 22 29 91

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;
  • uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy

In 1994 Senegal embarked on its most concerted | structural adjustment effort yet to exploit the 50% devaluation of the | currencies of the 14 Francophone African nations which took place on | 12 January of that year.

22 fields
Real growth rate
5%
(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 2% (1994)
Labor force
2.509million
(77% are engaged in subsistence farming; 175,000 wage earners)by occupation: private sector 40%, government and parapublic 60%
Debt - external
$4.1billion
(1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 21%industry 19%services 60% (1995 est.)

Economy - overview

In 1994 Senegal embarked on its most concerted structural adjustment effort yet to exploit the 50% devaluation of the currencies of the 14 Francophone African nations which took place on 12 January of that year. After years of foot-dragging, the government passed a liberalized labor code which should lower the cost of labor and improve the manufacturing sector's competitiveness.

Inroads also have been made in closing tax loopholes, eliminating monopoly power in several sectors, and privatizing state-owned firms. At the same time, the government is holding the line on current fiscal expenditure under the watchful eyes of international organizations on which it depends for substantial support.

The IMF, in mid-1995, announced that the government met most economic targets as called for in its Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility agreement and released the second $50 million tranche. The country's narrow tax and resource base, environmental degradation, and untamed growth of the population will continue to hold back improvement in living standards over the medium term. According to the draft budget, GDP will again rise by 5% in 1997.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $15.6 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (1996 est.)

Budget

revenues:
$876 million
expenditures:
NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, petroleum refining, construction materials

Electricity - production

1.027 billion kWh (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

total value:
$968 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:
fish, ground nuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
partners :
France, other EU countries, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali

Imports

total value:
$1.22 billion (f.o.b., 1995.)
commodities:
foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum products
partners:
France 30%, other EU countries, Nigeria, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, China, Japan

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $439 million (1993)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1966), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
81,988
(1995 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:
above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber optic cable in trunk system
international :
4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 6, shortwave 1

Radios

850,000 (1993 est.)

Televisions

61,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

total
10under 914 m
1
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Networkskm

Highways
14,580Railways
904Waterways
897
Highways: paved: 4,214 km · unpaved: 10,366 km (1995 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 904 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double track) (1995) · Waterways: ; 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river

Railways

total:
904 km
narrow gauge:
904 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double track) (1995)

Highways

total:
14,580 km
paved:
4,214 km
unpaved:
10,366 km (1995 est.)

Waterways

897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river

Ports and harbors

Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard-Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor

Merchant marine

total: 1 bulk ship, 1,995 GRT/3,775 DWT (1996 est.)

Airports

17 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Military

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, | National Police (Surete Nationale)

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,938,693 (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

short section of boundary with The Gambia is indefinite

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

Introduction

1 field

Current issues

  • Serbia and Montenegro have asserted the formation of a joint independent state, but this entity has not been formally recognized as a state by the US;
  • the US view is that the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) has dissolved and that none of the successor republics represents its continuation.

Central Intelligence Agency. “Senegal.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/senegal/1997.

How to cite ← 1996 edition 1998 edition →