Communications
Airports [time series]
total: 26 usable: 20 with permanent-surface runways: 10 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 16
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 14,007 km paved: 3,777 km unpaved: crushed stone, improved earth 10,230 km
Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]
897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal, 112 km on the Saloum
Merchant marine [time series]
1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 1,995 GRT/3,775 DWT
Dakar, Kaolack, Foundiougne, Ziguinchor
Railways (Railroads) [time series]
1,034 km 1.000-meter gauge; all single track except 70 km double track Dakar to Thies
Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]
above-average urban system, using microwave and cable; broadcast stations - 8 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 3 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Defense Forces
Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]
Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Police
Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]
exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 2% of GDP (1989 est.)
Manpower availability [time series]
males age 15-49 1,951,370; fit for military service 1,018,802; reach military age (18) annually 94,973 (1994 est.)
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
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]
accounts for 20% of GDP; major products - peanuts (cash crop), millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; estimated two-thirds self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 354,000 metric tons in 1990
Budget [time series]
revenues: $1.2 billion expenditures: $1.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $269 million (1992 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid [time series]
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $551 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $5.23 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $589 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $295 million
Electricity [time series]
capacity: 215,000 kW production: 760 million kWh consumption per capita: 100 kWh (1991)
Exchange rates [time series]
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989) note: the official rate is pegged to the French franc, and 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
Exports [time series]
$904 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: fish, ground nuts, petroleum products, phosphates, cotton partners: France, other EC members, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali
Debt - external (External debt) [time series]
$2.9 billion (1990)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America
Imports [time series]
$1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum partners: France, other EC, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, China, Japan
Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]
growth rate 1.9% (1991); accounts for 15% of GDP
Industries [time series]
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, petroleum refining, building materials
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
-1.8% (1991 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $11.8 billion (1993 est.)
Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]
$1,400 (1993 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]
1.2% (1991 est.)
Economic overview (Overview) [time series]
After 14 years of mixed compliance with IMF and World Bank economic reform programs, Senegal finds its economy remains hostage to negative economic forces. Declining terms of trade, weather-related setbacks, and relentless growth in population have held back overall growth and left per capita incomes stagnant, if not diminished. The economy continues to rely on exports of fish, peanuts, and phosphates for hard currency earnings. A 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 is likely to lead to substantial increases in local currency prices for producers that may spur improved production. A sheltered import-substitution sector, comprising textiles, shoes, and other light manufacturing, will remain plagued, however, by high labor, transportation, and energy costs. Public finances face a decade-long trend in declining tax revenues, making the government increasingly dependent on official development assistance from bilateral donors.
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA%
Geography
total area: 196,190 sq km land area: 192,000 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than South Dakota
Climate [time series]
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (December to April) has strong southeast winds; dry season (May to November) dominated by hot, dry harmattan wind
Coastline [time series]
531 km
Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]
current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Marine Dumping
Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]
short section of the boundary with The Gambia is indefinite; Senegal and Guinea-Bissau signed an agreement resolving their maritime boundary in 1993; boundary with Mauritania
Irrigated land [time series]
1,800 sq km (1989 est.)
Land boundaries [time series]
total 2,640 km, The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 27% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 30% forest and woodland: 31% other: 12%
Location [time series]
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
Map references [time series]
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims [time series]
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources [time series]
fish, phosphates, iron ore
The Gambia is almost an enclave
Terrain [time series]
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
Capital [time series]
Dakar
Constitution [time series]
3 March 1963, last revised in 1991
Digraph [time series]
SG
Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou Mansour SECK chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 234-0540 or 0541
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981); election last held 21 February 1993 (next to be held February 2000); results - Abdou DIOUF (PS) 58.4%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 32.03%, other 9.57% 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
Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]
[221] 22-29-91
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
Independence [time series]
20 August 1960 (from France; 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)
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Legal system [time series]
based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court, which also audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral
International organization participation (Member of) [time series]
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMUR, UNTAC, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Country name (Names) [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal
Legislative branch (National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)) [time series]
elections last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - PS 70%, PDS 23%, other 7%; seats - (120 total) PS 84, PDS 27, LD-MPT 3, Let Us Unite Senegal 3, PIT 2, UDS-R 1
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]
students; teachers; labor; Muslim Brotherhoods
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Socialist Party (PS), President Abdou DIOUF; Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), Abdoulaye WADE; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT), Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY; Independent Labor Party (PIT), Amath DANSOKHO; Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal (UDS-R), Mamadou Puritain FALL; other small uninfluential parties
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Government type (Type) [time series]
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark JOHNSON embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 23-42-96 or 23-34-24
People
Birth rate [time series]
43.15 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate [time series]
12.01 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]
Wolof 36%, Fulani 17%, Serer 17%, Toucouleur 9%, Diola 9%, Mandingo 9%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 2%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
75.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Labor force [time series]
2.509 million (77% are engaged in subsistence farming; 175,000 wage earners) by occupation: private sector 40%, government and parapublic 60% note: 52% of population of working age (1985)
Languages [time series]
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 56.58 years male: 55.12 years female: 58.09 years (1994 est.)
Literacy [time series]
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 38% male: 52% female: 25%
Nationality [time series]
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese
Net migration rate [time series]
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Population [time series]
8,730,508 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
3.11% (1994 est.)
Religions [time series]
Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)
Total fertility rate [time series]
6.09 children born/woman (1994 est.)