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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.sn

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

217 (2008)

Internet users [time series]

820,000 (2007)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system with a fiber-optic network; nearly two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar where a call-center industry is emerging; expansion of fixed-line services in rural areas needed; mobile-cellular service is expanding rapidly; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: country code - 221; the SAT-3/WASC fiber optic cable provides connectivity to Europe and Asia while Atlantis-2 provides connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

269,100 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

4.123 million (2007)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

4 (2007)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.614 billion expenditures: $3.036 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.25% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

NA (31 December 2007)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Current account balance [time series]

-$1.458 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$2.19 billion (31 December 2007)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

41.3 (2001)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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 was 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 over 5% annually during 1995-2007. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. High unemployment, however, continues to prompt illegal migrants to flee Senegal in search of better job opportunities in Europe. Senegal was also beset by an energy crisis that caused widespread blackouts in 2006 and 2007. The phosphate industry has struggled for two years to secure capital, and reduced output has directly impacted GDP. In 2007, Senegal signed agreements for major new mining concessions for iron, zircon, and gold with foreign companies. Firms from Dubai have agreed to manage and modernize Dakar's maritime port, and create a new special economic zone. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal has benefited from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private-sector debt. In 2007, Senegal and the IMF agreed to a new, non-disbursing, Policy Support Initiative program.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.657 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

2.28 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003) note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Exports [time series]

$1.65 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners [time series]

Mali 18.9%, France 9.1%, Italy 5.9%, India 5.7%, Gambia, The 5.2% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$11.12 billion (2007 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$21.02 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 16% industry: 19.4% services: 64.6% (2007 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$1,700 (2007 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4.6% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 33.4% (2001)

Imports [time series]

$3.731 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners [time series]

France 22.2%, Netherlands 10%, China 7.4%, UK 6.2%, Thailand 5.2%, Belgium 4.5% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

5.2% (2007 est.)

Industries [time series]

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining; iron ore, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

5.9% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

25.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force [time series]

4.85 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 77.5% industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

50 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

NA cu m

Natural gas - imports [time series]

NA cu m

Natural gas - production [time series]

50 million cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

NA cu m

Oil - consumption [time series]

36,200 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

4,298 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports [time series]

40,450 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Public debt [time series]

22.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$1.66 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$2.97 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$2.842 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$1.579 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

48% (2007 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 196,190 sq km land: 192,000 sq km water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Coastline [time series]

531 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%) per capita: 190 cu m/yr (2002)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

Irrigated land [time series]

1,200 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,640 km border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 12.51% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 87.25% (2005)

Location [time series]

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Natural resources [time series]

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Terrain [time series]

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Total renewable water resources [time series]

39.4 cu km (1987)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Capital [time series]

name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 40 N, 17 26 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

adopted 7 January 2001

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Marcia S. BERNICAT embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 33-829-2100 FAX: [221] 33-822-2991

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000) head of government: Prime Minister Cheikh Hadjibou SOUMARE (since 19 June 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) under new constitution; election last held on 25 February 2007 (next to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdoulaye WADE reelected president in the first round of voting; percent of vote - Abdoulaye WADE 55.9%, Idrissa SECK 14.9%, Ousmane Tanor DIENG 13.6%, Moustapha NIASSE 5.9%, other 9.7%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, AU, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote with the remaining members elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and the Senate reinstituted in 2007 (100 seats; 35 indirectly elected with the remaining 65 members to be appointed by the president) elections: National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held 2012); note - the National Assembly in December 2005 voted to postpone legislative elections originally scheduled for 2006; legislative elections were first rescheduled to coincide with the 25 February 2007 presidential elections and later rescheduled for 3 June 2007; the June election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including the former ruling Socialist Party, that resulted in a record-low, 35-percent voter turnout; Senate - last held 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA) election results: National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19; Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; Jef-Jel [Talla SYLLA]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madior DIOUF]; People's Labor Party or PTP [Elhadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition [Abdoulaye WADE] (a coalition led by the PDS); Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

other: labor; students; Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mourides and Tidjanes; teachers

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC) has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. He was reelected in February 2007, but complaints of fraud led opposition parties to boycott June 2007 legislative polls. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 2,943,619 females age 16-49: 2,955,179 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 1,866,602 females age 16-49: 1,947,076 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 141,832 female: 139,541 (2008 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2008)

Military expenditures [time series]

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 41.9% (male 2,717,257/female 2,668,602) 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 3,524,683/female 3,552,643) 65 years and over: 3% (male 183,188/female 206,886) (2008 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

36.52 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate [time series]

10.72 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

5% of GDP (2006)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

3,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

44,000 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 58.93 deaths/1,000 live births male: 62.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 57.08 years male: 55.7 years female: 58.5 years (2008 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 39.3% male: 51.1% female: 29.2% (2002 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, dengue fever, malaria, Rift Valley fever, and yellow fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2008)

Median age [time series]

total: 18.8 years male: 18.6 years female: 19 years (2008 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population [time series]

12,853,259 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.58% (2008 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.86 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling into their countries from Senegal's Casamance region, and in 2006, respectively accepted 6,000 and 10,000 Casamance residents fleeing the conflict; 2,500 Guinea-Bissau residents fled into Senegal in 2006 to escape armed confrontations along the border

Illicit drugs [time series]

transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 19,630 (Mauritania) IDPs: 22,400 (approximately 65% of the IDP population returned in 2005, but new displacement is occurring due to clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2007)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

20 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 43 km (2007)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Dakar

Railways [time series]

total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2006)

Roadways [time series]

total: 13,576 km paved: 3,972 km (includes 7 km of expressways) unpaved: 9,604 km (2003)

Waterways [time series]

1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2005)