Senegal Location:
Physical. Senegal is located in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. In size, it is slightly smaller than South Dakota. Senegal has a tropical climate with a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from December to April. Its terrain generally consists of low, rolling plains that rise into foothills in the southeast. Natural resources include fish, phosphate, and iron ore.
Senegal Geography:
Geography
Area: 76,000 square miles
Capital: Dakar (pop 2,160,000)
Environmental concerns: poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
Geographical features: low, rolling plains, foothills in the southeast
Climate: tropical
Senegal People:
People. Almost 10.6 million people live in Senegal. French is its official language, while inhabitants also speak Wolof, Pulaar, Diola and Mandinka. Senegal is ethnically diverse with slightly less than half (43%) of the population Wolof, almost one quarter Pulaar and 15% Serer. The major religious ideologies practiced by Senegalese citizens are: Muslim (94%) indigenous beliefs (1%) and Christian (5%).
10,590,000 people; Wolof (43%); Pulaar (15%); Serer (15%)
Annual growth rate: 2.91%
Major languages are French; Wolof; Pulaar; Diola; Mandinka
Religions: Muslim (94%); Christian (5%); indigenous beliefs (1%)
Senegal Government:
Government. In March 2000, opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade defeated incumbent Abdou Diouf who had been president since 1988. Initially staunch enemies, Wade accepted a cabinet position in Diouf’s administration in 1991, working to ease problems of corruption, although many felt Diouf did not go far enough. Once elected, like Diouf, Wade has had some success in reducing corruption, but is faced with many serious problems.
Senegal is a republic and first gained independence from France on April 4, 1960
President Abdoulaye Wade is head of state
4 major political parties
Universal suffrage at 18
Senegal Communication:
Communication and transportation
235,000 main telephone lines
225,000 Internet users (2003)
8,746 miles of highway (much barely usable)
565 miles of railroad
20 airfields
160,000 motor vehicles
Senegal Economy:
Economy. The vast majority of Senegal is Muslim and many are members of one or another of the Muslim brotherhoods who play several important roles such as spokespeople, spiritual directors and economic cooperatives. One example is the Mouride Brotherhood who number about 700,000 and cooperate in the growing of the cash crops.
In 1988 riots erupted, fueled by frustration among the country’s youth, who are well educated but remain unemployed. The urban population (47%) endures rising rates of unemployment and inflation that have been aggravated by the country’s attempt to implement the International Monetary Fund-approved Structural Adjustment program. Drought, locusts, fluctuating world market prices and disease destabilize life in rural areas.
Currency: francs
Per capita GDP: $1,580
GDP: $ 16.2 billion
GDP growth rate: 5.7%
Inflation rate: 3.3%
Labor force: 70% agriculture
Senegal More Information:
www.senegal-online.com
www.sas.upenn.edu | 
