Senegal

Republic of SenegalRepublique du Senegal

republic under multiparty democratic ruleIndependence 4 April 1960 from France

Senegal as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 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,

Populationas each edition published it

10.05 million July 1999 est. · 7.71m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.32% 1999 est. · 3.1% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

57.83 years 1999 est. · 56.01 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.11 children per woman 1999 est. · 6.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

59.81 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 87 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,600 1998 est. · $780 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.7% 1998 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

Highest point

581m

unnamed feature near Nepen Diakhalowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

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

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

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, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: Marine Dumping

Geography--note

The Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal

People

15 fields

Population

10,051,930

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 3.32% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

43.88Death

10.71Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)57.83

54.95 · 60.78

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)33.1%

43% · 23.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Wolof 43.3%Pular 23.8%Serer 14.7%Diola 3.7%Mandink 3%Soninke 1.1%European and Lebanese 1%other 9.4%

Religions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 48% (male 2,403,384; female 2,416,791)
15-64 years:: 49% (male 2,360,113; female 2,594,278)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 134,765; female 142,599) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

59.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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 Mamadou Lamine LOUM (since 4 July 1998)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

58.4%

-Abdou DIOUF (PS) 58.4%Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 32.03%other 9.57%election last held 21 February 1993 (next to be held NA February 2000)

Legislature, 140 seats, elected 24 May 1998one dot, one seat

-PS 93PDS 23UDS-R 11And-Jef/PADS 4LD-MPT 3CDP/Garab-Gi 1FSD 1PDS-R 1RND 1BCG 1PIT 1

Percent of vote

-PS 50.19%PDS 19%UDS-R 13%And/Jef-PADS 5%LD/MPT 4%CDP/Garab-Gi 2%FSD 1%PDS-R 1%RND 1%BCG 1%PIT 1%

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

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

Legal system

based on French civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court;
the Council of State audits the government's accounting office;
Senegal has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981)
head of government:: Prime Minister Mamadou Lamine LOUM (since 4 July 1998)
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 (140 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 24 May 1998 (next to be held NA May 2003)
election results:: percent of vote by party--PS 50.19%, PDS 19%, UDS-R 13%, And/Jef-PADS 5%, LD/MPT 4%, CDP/Garab-Gi 2%, FSD 1%, PDS-R 1%, RND 1%, BCG 1%, PIT 1% ;
seats by party--PS 93, PDS 23, UDS-R 11, And-Jef/PADS 4, LD-MPT 3, CDP/Garab-Gi 1, FSD 1, PDS-R 1, RND 1, BCG 1, PIT 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 Cassation;
Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders

African Party for Democracy and secretary general]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT

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, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Dane Farnsworth SMITH, Jr.
embassy:: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address:: B. P. 49, Dakar

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 January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and | ambitious economic reform program with the support of the | international donor community.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,600

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

5.7%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 7% (1998 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.8%

(1998 est.)

Debt--external

$3.8billion

(1997)

GDP--composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 19%industry 17%services 64% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$885 millionExpenditures

$885 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $125 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.027 billion (1997 est.)Electricity consumption

730 million (1996)

Economy--overview

In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which is linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled.

After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually in 1995-98. Annual inflation has been pushed below 2%, and the fiscal deficit has been cut to less than 1.5% of GDP. Investment rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997.

As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction. Forecasters predict growth will continue in the 5% range in 1999-2000.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$15.6 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 60%

Unemployment rate

NA%; urban youth 40%

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$925 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

fish, ground nuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports--partners

France 20%, other EU countries, India, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali (1996)

Imports

$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports--partners

France 36%, other EU countries, Nigeria, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, US, China, Japan (1996)

Economic aid--recipient

$647.5 million (1995)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--560.01 (December 1998), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1966), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

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.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

61,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4

Networkskm

Highways

14,576Railways

904Waterways

897

Highways: paved: 4,271 km · unpaved: 10,305 km (1996 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