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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

state-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) operates 2 TV stations; a few private TV subscription channels rebroadcast foreign channels without providing any local news or programs; RTS operates a national radio network and a number of regional FM stations; a large number of community and private-broadcast radio stations are available; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.sn

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

241 (2010) country comparison to the world: 190

Internet users [time series]

1.818 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 76

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: good system with microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk 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 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]

278,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 118

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

6.902 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 82

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Central bank discount rate [time series]

4.25% (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 95 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

NA%

Current account balance [time series]

-$1.046 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 -$1.356 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$3.885 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.462 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

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

41.3 (2001) country comparison to the world: 55 41.3 (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Senegal relies heavily on donor assistance. The country's key export industries are phosphate mining, fertilizer production, and commercial fishing. The country is also working on iron ore and oil exploration projects. In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. 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 1995-2008. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the single digits. The country was adversely affected by the global economic downturn in 2009 and GDP growth fell below 2%. 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. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief program, Senegal 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 which was completed in 2010. Senegal received its first disbursement from the $540 million Millennium Challenge Account compact it signed in September 2009 for infrastructure and agriculture development. In 2010, the Senegalese people protested against frequent power cuts. The government pledged to expand capacity by 2012 and to promote renewable energy but until Senegal has more capacity, more protests are likely and economic activity will be hindered. During the year, bakers protested government price controls on bread. Foreign investment in Senegal is constrained by Senegal's business environment, which has slipped in recent years, and by perceptions of corruption.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.384 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.88 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 507.71 (2010), 470.9 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 481.83 (2007), 522.89 (2006)

Exports [time series]

$2.112 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $1.902 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

Mali 20.12%, India 9.84%, Gambia 5.58%, France 5.02%, Italy 4.23% (2009)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$12.66 billion (2010 est.)

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

$23.86 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $22.96 billion (2009 est.) $22.56 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

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

agriculture: 14.9% industry: 21.4% services: 63.6% (2010 est.)

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

$1,900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 $1,900 (2009 est.) $1,900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

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

3.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 1.8% (2009 est.) 3.3% (2008 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.1% (2005)

Imports [time series]

$4.474 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $4.549 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners [time series]

France 19.58%, UK 9.64%, China 8.08%, Netherlands 5.64%, Thailand 4.75%, US 3.97% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

3.8% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89

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]

1.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 -1% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

25.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 39

Labor force [time series]

5.53 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

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 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas - production [time series]

50 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

NA cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

39,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Oil - exports [time series]

5,653 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 102

Oil - imports [time series]

42,850 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Population below poverty line [time series]

54% (2001 est.)

Public debt [time series]

32.1% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 86 29.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$2.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $2.123 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$4.603 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $4.745 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$3.516 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $3.412 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$2.8 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 112 $2.903 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate [time series]

48% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 196,722 sq km country comparison to the world: 87 land: 192,530 sq km water: 4,192 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 elevation southwest of Kedougou 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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]

14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, 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 Fatou Danielle DIAGNE 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 Soulayemane Ndene NDIAYE (since 1 May 2009) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) 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; 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; green represents Islam, progress, and hope; yellow signifies natural wealth and progress; red symbolizes sacrifice and determination; the star denotes unity and hope note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Mali and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea

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, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, 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 Senate, reinstituted in 2007, (100 seats; 35 members indirectly elected and 65 members appointed by the president) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (150 seats; 90 members elected by direct popular vote and 60 elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 19 August 2007 (next to be held - NA); National Assembly - last held on 3 June 2007 (next to be held in 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 for 3 June 2007; the election was boycotted by 12 opposition parties, including the former ruling Socialist Party, which resulted in a record-low 35% voter turnout election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDS 34, AJ/PADS 1, 65 appointed by the president; National Assembly results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 131, other 19

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons) lyrics/music: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER note: adopted 1960; the lyrics were written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal"s first president; the anthem is sometimes played incorporating the Koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and Balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

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

African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar [Macky Sall]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Landing SAVANE]; 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 [El Hadji DIOUF]; Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]; Rewmi Party [Idrissa Seck]; 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. 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 and has amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and to weaken the opposition, part of the President's increasingly autocratic governing style. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 3,211,279 females age 16-49: 3,250,128 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 2,109,080 females age 16-49: 2,287,510 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 157,468 female: 156,689 (2010 est.)

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

Senegalese Armed Forces: Army, Senegalese Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal) (2009)

Military expenditures [time series]

1.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 111

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: 42.2% (male 2,911,324/female 2,877,804) 15-64 years: 54.8% (male 3,728,664/female 3,786,000) 65 years and over: 3% (male 190,343/female 217,462) (2010 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

37.27 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 23

Death rate [time series]

9.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

5.1% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 64

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]

1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

1,800 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 63

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

67,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 57

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 57.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 36 male: 64.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 59.38 years country comparison to the world: 189 male: 57.48 years female: 61.34 years (2010 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 animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age [time series]

total: 17.9 years male: 17.1 years female: 18.7 years (2010 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Population [time series]

12,323,252 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Population growth rate [time series]

2.579% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Religions [time series]

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 7 years (2008)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.86 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 42% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 3.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 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 (2010) country comparison to the world: 135

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 155 by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2010)

Pipelines [time series]

gas 43 km; refined products 8 km (2009)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Dakar

Railways [time series]

total: 906 km country comparison to the world: 94 narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000 meter gauge (2008)

Roadways [time series]

total: 13,576 km country comparison to the world: 127 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) (2008) country comparison to the world: 64