Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]
total: 357,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)
Broadcast media [time series]
over 25 private TV stations; state-run Radiodiffusion T l vision S n galaise (RTS) broadcasts from five cities; wide range of independent TV available via satellite; hundreds of radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar
Internet country code [time series]
.sn
Internet users [time series]
percent of population: 61% (2023 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines [time series]
total subscriptions: 399,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
total subscriptions: 22.4 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products [time series]
rice, groundnuts, watermelons, millet, cassava, sugarcane, maize, sorghum, onions, milk (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Budget [time series]
revenues: $7.749 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $9.267 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Current account balance [time series]
-$6.072 billion (2023 est.) -$5.542 billion (2022 est.) -$3.327 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external [time series]
$14.985 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview [time series]
lower middle-income, services-driven West African economy; key mining, construction, agriculture, and fishing industries; tourism and exports hit hard by COVID-19; large informal economy; developing offshore oil and gas fields; systemic corruption
Exchange rates [time series]
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.)
Exports [time series]
$7.001 billion (2023 est.) $7.418 billion (2022 est.) $6.78 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities [time series]
gold, refined petroleum, phosphoric acid, fish, cement (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners [time series]
Mali 21%, India 12%, Switzerland 11%, China 5%, UAE 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$32.267 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 65.8% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.4% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 32.1% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.8% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 28.1% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 15.5% (2024 est.) industry: 25.4% (2024 est.) services: 49.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income [time series]
36.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 28.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports [time series]
$14.916 billion (2023 est.) $14.698 billion (2022 est.) $12.278 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities [time series]
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rice, garments, wheat (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners [time series]
China 19%, France 9%, Nigeria 7%, India 7%, Russia 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
20% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries [time series]
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
0.8% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 9.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force [time series]
5.763 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt [time series]
47.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) [time series]
$83.183 billion (2024 est.) $77.82 billion (2023 est.) $74.642 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate [time series]
6.9% (2024 est.) 4.3% (2023 est.) 3.9% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita [time series]
$4,500 (2024 est.) $4,300 (2023 est.) $4,200 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances [time series]
10.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.5% of GDP (2022 est.) 11.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
19.5% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate [time series]
3% (2024 est.) 2.8% (2023 est.) 2.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 4.1% (2024 est.) male: 3.2% (2024 est.) female: 6.3% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
consumption: 138,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 21 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 181,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity [time series]
installed generating capacity: 1.772 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 7.547 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 486 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 983 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access [time series]
electrification - total population: 67.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.6% electrification - rural areas: 43.4%
Electricity generation sources [time series]
fossil fuels: 78.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 7.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 9.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 3.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita [time series]
8.303 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas [time series]
production: 34.646 million cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 34.604 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Petroleum [time series]
total petroleum production: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 65,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions [time series]
10.373 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 456,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 9.859 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 58,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
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
Environmental issues [time series]
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; droughts; seasonal flooding; overfishing; weak environmental laws; poaching
International environmental agreements [time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 49.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2023 est.) forest: 45.1% (2023 est.) other: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Methane emissions [time series]
energy: 37 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 258.5 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 89.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 4.5 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Particulate matter emissions [time series]
42.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources [time series]
38.97 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal [time series]
municipal: 261 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 1.416 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 2.759 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling [time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.454 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11.9% (2022 est.)
Geography
total : 196,722 sq km land: 192,530 sq km water: 4,192 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than South Dakota; slightly larger than twice the size of Indiana
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 [time series]
highest point: unnamed elevation 2.8 km southeast of Nepen Diaka 648 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 69 m
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 (2012)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 2,684 km border countries (5): The Gambia 749 km; Guinea 363 km; Guinea-Bissau 341 km; Mali 489 km; Mauritania 742 km
Land use [time series]
agricultural land: 49.4% (2023 est.) arable land: 19.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2023 est.) forest: 45.1% (2023 est.) other: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Location [time series]
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
Major aquifers [time series]
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin
Major rivers (by length in km) [time series]
Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, and Mauritania [m] ) - 1,641 km; Gambie (Gambia) (shared with Guinea [s] and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km) [time series]
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km)
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
Population distribution [time series]
the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural, as shown in this population distribution map
Terrain [time series]
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
14 regions ( r gions , singular - r gion ); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, K edougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
Capital [time series]
name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, D.C., during Standard Time) etymology: the name comes from the Wolof word n'dakar , meaning "tamarind tree"
Citizenship [time series]
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal dual citizenship recognized: no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Constitution [time series]
history: previous 1959 (pre-independence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001 amendment process: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires Assembly approval and approval in a referendum; the president can bypass a referendum and submit an amendment directly to the Assembly, which requires at least three-fifths majority vote; the republican form of government is not amendable
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: R publique du S n gal local short form: S n gal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation etymology: named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; the river's name may derive from "Azenegue," the Portuguese name for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river, or it could come from a local word meaning "navigable"
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 10 March 2022); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau embassy: Route des Almadies, Dakar mailing address: 2130 Dakar Place, Washington D.C. 20521-2130 telephone: [221] 33-879-4000 email address and website: DakarACS@state.gov https://sn.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoul Wahab HAIDARA (since 24 July 2025) chancery: 2215 M ST NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 629-2961 email address and website: contact@ambasenegal-us.org http://www.ambasenegal-us.org/index.php consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO (since 2 April 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a single, renewable 5-year term most recent election date: 24 March 2024 election results: 2024: Bassirou Diomaye FAYE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (PASTEF) 54%, Amadou BA (APR) 36%, other 10% 2019: Macky SALL reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7%, other 5.5% expected date of next election: March 2029
description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red, with a small five-pointed green star centered on the yellow band; green stands for Islam, progress, and hope, yellow for natural wealth and progress, and red for sacrifice and determination; the star represents unity and hope history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement note: the colors from left to right are the same as Mali's flag and the reverse of Guinea's flag
Government type [time series]
presidential republic
Independence [time series]
4 April 1960 (from France); 20 August 1960 (full independence after federation with Mali is dissolved)
International law organization participation [time series]
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation [time series]
ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supr me (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of 7 members, including the court president, vice president, and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon recommendation of the Superior Council of the Magistrates, a body chaired by the president and minister of justice; judge tenure varies, with mandatory retirement either at 65 or 68 years; Constitutional Council members are appointed, 5 by the president and 2 by the National Assembly speaker; judges serve 6-year terms, with renewal of 2 members every 2 years subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (for crimes of high treason by the president); Courts of Appeal; Court of Auditors; assize courts; regional and district courts; Labor Court
Legal system [time series]
civil law system based on French law; Constitutional Council reviews legislative acts
Legislative branch [time series]
legislature name: National Assembly (Assemblée nationale) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 165 (all directly elected) electoral system: mixed system scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/17/2024 parties elected and seats per party: Pastef Party (130); Coalition Takku Wallu Sénégal (16); Other (19) percentage of women in chamber: 41.2% expected date of next election: November 2029
National anthem(s) [time series]
title: "Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons) lyrics/music: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER history: adopted 1960; lyrics written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal's first president; the anthem sometimes played incorporating the koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title
National color(s) [time series]
green, yellow, red
National heritage [time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 7 (5 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Island of Gor e (c); Niokolo-Koba National Park (n); Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (n); Island of Saint-Louis (c); Stone Circles of Senegambia (c); Saloum Delta (c); Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula, and Bedik Cultural Landscapes (c)
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
National symbol(s) [time series]
lion
Political parties [time series]
Alliance for Citizenship and Work or ACT Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP AND (National Alliance for Democracy) And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS ARC (Alternative for the next generation of citizens) Awal Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope); coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP Bokk Gis Gis coalition Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk Coalition Mimi 2024 Dare the Future movement Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT Democratic Renaissance Congress Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ Gainde Centrist Bloc or BCG General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR Grand Party or GP Gueum sa Bopp (Believe in yourself) Independence and Labor Party or PIT Jotna Coalition Liberate the People (Yewwi Askan Wi) or YAW Madicke 2019 coalition National Union for the People or UNP Only Senegal Movement Party for Truth and Development or PVD Party of Unity and Rally or PUR Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi PRP (Republican party for Progress) Rewmi Party Save Senegal (Wallu Senegal Grand Coalition) or WS; coalition includes PDS, Jotna Coalition, Democratic Renaissance Congress Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS Socialist Party or PS Tekki Movement R ewum Ngor (Republic of Values) Servants (Les Serviteurs)
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Senegal is one of the few countries in the world with evidence of continuous human life from the Paleolithic period to present. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Jolof Empire ruled most of Senegal. Starting in the 15th century, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain traded along the Senegalese coast. Senegal s location on the western tip of Africa made it a favorable base for the European slave trade. European powers used the Senegalese island of Goree as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland, and at the height of the slave trade in Senegal, over one-third of the Senegalese population was enslaved. In 1815, France abolished slavery and began expanding inland. During the second half of the 19th century, France took possession of Senegal as a French colony. In 1959, the French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. The union broke up after only a few months. In 1982, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never implemented, and the union dissolved in 1989. Since the 1980s, the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance -- a separatist movement based in southern Senegal -- has led a low-level insurgency. Several attempts at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement have failed. Since 2012, despite sporadic incidents of violence, an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect. Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. The Socialist Party of Senegal ruled for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2007. WADE amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and weaken the opposition. In 2012, WADE s decision to run for a third presidential term sparked public backlash that led to his loss to current President Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum limited future presidents to two consecutive five-year terms. President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE took office in April 2024.
Military and Security
Military - note [time series]
the Senegalese military is responsible for both territorial defense and internal security; it also assists the civilian government in such areas as preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and disaster response; key areas of focus for the military include a low-level insurgency in the country's south, maritime security, and securing the border against smuggling and Sahel-based Islamist insurgent groups affiliated with al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State; the military participates in foreign peacekeeping deployments and multinational exercises; its closest security partner is France, which has long maintained a military presence in Senegal Senegalese security forces have been engaged in a low-level counterinsurgency campaign in the southern Casamance region against factions of the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MDFC) since 1982; the conflict is one of longest running low-level insurgencies in the World, having claimed more than 5,000 lives while leaving another 60,000 displaced; in recent years, nearly all of the MDFC factions have agreed to cease hostilities (2025)
Military and security forces [time series]
Senegalese Armed Forces (les Forces Arm es S n galaises, FAS): Army (l Arm e de Terre, AT), Senegalese National Navy (Marine S en egalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (l'Arm ee de l'Air du S en egal, AAS), National Gendarmerie Ministry of Interior: National Police (2025) note: the National Police operates in major cities, while the Gendarmerie under the FAS primarily operates outside urban areas; both services have specialized anti-terrorism units, and the Gendarmerie has both Territorial and Mobile components
Military and security service personnel strengths [time series]
approximately 25,000 active Armed Forces personnel, including the Gendarmerie (2025)
Military deployments [time series]
190 Central African Republic (MINUSCA; plus about 575 police); approximately 380 police Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions [time series]
the military has a mix of older, secondhand, and some more modern equipment from a variety of suppliers, including China, France, Russia, South Africa, Spain, T rkiye, and the US (2025)
Military expenditures [time series]
1.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18-28 (up to 35 for specialized roles); 24-month service commitment (2025)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 3,907,986/female 3,760,594) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,098,038/female 5,437,195) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 277,290/female 366,416)
Alcohol consumption per capita [time series]
total: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
29.54 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Child marriage [time series]
women married by age 15: 8.8% (2019) women married by age 18: 30.5% (2019) men married by age 18: 0.7% (2019)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
16.2% (2023 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49) [time series]
65.5% (2023 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.85 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 78.9 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 72.8 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.1 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 16.4 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source [time series]
urban: 95.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77% of population (2022 est.) total: 86.2% of population (2022 est.) urban: 4.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23% of population (2022 est.) total: 13.8% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure [time series]
6.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 20.9% national budget (2025 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Wolof 39.7%, Pulaar 27.5%, Sereer 16%, Mandinka 4.9%, Jola 4.2%, Soninke 2.4%, other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2019 est.)
Gross reproduction rate [time series]
1.93 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure [time series]
4.4% of GDP (2021) 3.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density [time series]
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2019 est.)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 30.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 34.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages [time series]
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 70.6 years (2024 est.) male: 68.8 years female: 72.4 years
Literacy [time series]
total population: 50.4% (2023 est.) male: 61.5% (2023 est.) female: 41.5% (2023 est.)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
3.340 million DAKAR (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio [time series]
237 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 19.4 years (2025 est.) male: 18.4 years female: 20 years
Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]
21.9 years (2019 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Nationality [time series]
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
8.8% (2016)
Physician density [time series]
0.11 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population [time series]
total: 18,847,519 (2024 est.) male: 9,283,314 female: 9,564,205
Population distribution [time series]
the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural, as shown in this population distribution map
Population growth rate [time series]
2.4% (2025 est.)
Religions [time series]
Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est.)
Sanitation facility access [time series]
urban: 95.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 60.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 77.4% of population (2022 est.) urban: 4.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 39.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 22.6% of population (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 9 years (2023 est.) male: 8 years (2023 est.) female: 10 years (2023 est.)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use [time series]
total: 5.4% (2025 est.) male: 10.5% (2025 est.) female: 0.5% (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.96 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Space
Key space-program milestones [time series]
2023 - signed cooperation agreement with ESA to leverage space technology for socio-economic growth; established a space control center to provide infrastructure for satellite manufacturing and satellite services 2024 - first Earth observation/remote sensing nanosatellite (GaindeSat-1A) built with French assistance and launched by US; signed agreement with Turkey on space infrastructure advancement; agreed to participate in China's lunar exploration/research station project 2025 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration; signed agreement with France for capacity development in space infrastructure and Earth observation initiatives
Space agency/agencies [time series]
Senegalese Space Study Agency (Agence S n galaise d'Etudes Spatiales or ASES; launched in 2023 under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation) (2025)
Space program overview [time series]
small, nascent program focused on earth observation/remote sensing capabilities, largely for climate resilience, environmental management, research, and socio-economic development; conducts research in fields such as astronomy and planetary sciences; has cooperated with space agencies in China, France, Turkey, and the US, as well as the ESA (2025)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s) [time series]
Jama at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees: 13,064 (2024 est.) IDPs: 5,922 (2024 est.)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
20 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]
6V
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 36 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 30
total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Dakar, Karabane, Lyndiane, M'bao Oil Terminal, Rufisque, St. Louis
Railways [time series]
total: 906 km (2017) (713 km operational in 2017) narrow gauge: 906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge