Senegal

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Senegal

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name République du Sénégal/Republic of Senegal Area 196,200 sq km/75,752 sq mi Capital Dakar (and chief port) Language French (official), Wolof, other ethnic languages Religion mainly Sunni Muslim; Christian 4%, animist 1% Time difference GMT +/-0 Major holidays 1 January, 1 February, 4 April, 1 May, 15 August, 1 November, 25 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha, Easter Monday, end of Ramadan, New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday, Whit Monday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Thiès, Kaolack, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor, Diourbel, Mbour Physical features plains rising to hills in southeast; swamp and tropical forest in southwest; River Senegal; The Gambia forms an enclave within Senegal Airports four international airports and around 15 smaller airports and airfields; total passengers carried: 130,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 1,225 km/761 mi; total passenger journeys: 4.8 million (2001) Roads total road network: 13,576 km/8,436 mi, of which 29.3% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 14 per 1,000 people (2001 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Abdoulaye Wade from 2000 Head of government Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré from 2007 Political system nationalistic socialist Political executive unlimited presidency Administrative divisions ten regions Political parties Senegalese Socialist Party (PS), democratic socialist; Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), centrist Death penalty abolished in 2004 Armed forces 13,700; plus paramilitary forces of 5,000 (2006 est) Conscription military services is by selective conscription for two years Defence spend (% GDP) 1.5 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 3.6 (2003 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.1 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency franc CFA GDP (US$) 8.3 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 4 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 8.2 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,770 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 2.3% (2006 est) Unemployment 23% (urban; 2000) Labour force 72.8% agriculture, 7.2% industry, 20% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 4 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners France, India, Nigeria, Mali, Italy, Guinea-Bissau, Thailand Resources calcium phosphates, aluminium phosphates, salt, natural gas; offshore deposits of petroleum to be developed Industries food processing (principally fish, groundnuts, palm oil, and sugar), mining, cement, artificial fertilizer, chemicals, textiles, petroleum refining (imported petroleum), tourism Exports fresh and processed fish, phosphate products, refined petroleum products, cotton, chemicals, groundnuts and related products. Principal market: France 22.7% (2005) Imports food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, rice, mineral fuels and lubricants (mainly crude petroleum), consumer goods, chemicals. Principal source: France 28.1% (2005) Arable land 12.5% (2006 est) Agricultural products groundnuts, cotton, millet, sorghum, rice, maize, cassava, vegetables; fishing


POPULATION

Population 11,935,600 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.3% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 61 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 51 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 43%, 15–59 52%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups the Wolof group are the most numerous, comprising about 35% of the population; the Fulani comprise about 18%; the Serer 16%; the Diola 3%; and the Mandingo 3% Life expectancy 56 (men); 58 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 137 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 6 Literacy rate 49% (men); 30% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.8 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 0.4 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.9 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 5,200 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 90 (urban); 54 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 2.3 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 14.8 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 126 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 45 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 2.2 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 4.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

10th–11th centuries Links established with North Africa; the Tukolor community was converted to Islam. 1445 First visited by Portuguese explorers. 1659 French founded Saint-Louis as a colony. 17th–18th centuries Export trades in slaves, gums, ivory, and gold developed by European traders. 1854–65 Interior occupied by French who checked the expansion of the Islamic Tukulor Empire; Dakar founded. 1902 Became territory of French West Africa. 1946 Became French overseas territory, with own territorial assembly and representation in French parliament. 1948 Leopold Sedar Senghor founded Senegalese Democratic Bloc to campaign for independence. 1959 Formed Federation of Mali with French Sudan. 1960 Achieved independence and withdrew from federation. Senghor, leader of socialist Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS), became president. 1966 UPS declared only legal party. 1974 Pluralist system re-established. 1976 UPS reconstituted as Socialist Party (PS). 1980 Troops sent to defend The Gambia against suspected Libyan invasion. 1981 Military help again sent to The Gambia to thwart coup attempt; PS candidate Abdou Diouf appointed president. 1982 Confederation of Senegambia came into effect. 1989 Diplomatic links with Mauritania severed after 450 died in violent clashes; over 50,000 people repatriated from both countries. Senegambia federation abandoned. 1992 Diplomatic links with Mauritania re-established. 1993 Assembly and presidential elections won by ruling PS. 1999 New 60-member Senate created as Senegal's second legislative chamber. 2000 In presidential elections Abdou Diouf lost to Abdoulaye Wade, ending 40 years of Socialist Party rule; Diouf later announced his withdrawal from politics. 2001 New constitution approved by voters in national referendum. 2002 Nearly 2,000 passengers died as Senegalese ferry capsized off Gambian coast. 2004 Government signed peace agreement with Casamance separatist movement. 2007 President Wade re-elected; his ruling coalition increased parliamentary majority in elections boycotted by opposition.


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