Senegal

Senegal Background

Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Senegal Information

• Population: 10,852,147 (July 2004 est.)
• Nationality: noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese
• Location:: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
• Religions:: Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic)
• Ethnic Groups:: Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%
• Land Boundaries:: total: 2,640 km border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
• Area: total: 196,190 sq km water: 4,190 sq km land: 192,000 sq km
• Coast Line: 531 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
• Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
• Maritime Claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
• Land Use: arable land: 12.78% other: 87.01% (2001) permanent crops: 0.21%
• Environmental Issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
• Natural Resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore
• Highways: total: 14,576 km paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)
• Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2003)
• Ports & Harbours: Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor
• Airports: 20 (2003 est.)