Map of Senegal | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. 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 implemented, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance has led a low-level separatist insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s. Several peace deals have failed to resolve the conflict, but an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect since 2012. Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. Senegal was ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000. He was reelected in 2007 and during his two terms amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and weaken the opposition. His decision to run for a third presidential term sparked a large public backlash that led to his defeat in a March 2012 runoff with Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum reduced the term to five years with a maximum of two consecutive terms for future presidents - the change did not apply to SALL's first term, which runs until 2019.


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

Geographic coordinates: 14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 196,722 km²
Land: 192,530 km²
Water: 4,192 km²
Rank: 89
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries
Total: 2,684 km
Border countries: (5) The Gambia 749 km; , Guinea 363 km; , Guinea-Bissau 341 km; , Mali 489 km; , Mauritania 742 km

Coastline: 531 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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

Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation
Mean elevation: 69 m
Elevation extremes: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use
Agricultural land: 46.8% (2011 est.)
Forest: 43.8% (2011 est.)
Other: 9.4% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 1200 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

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


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Population
Distribution: the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural: 15,020,945 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 72
Growth rate: 2.36% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 30
Below poverty line: 46.7% (2011 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups: Wolof 37.1%, Pular 26.2%, Serer 17%, Mandinka 5.6%, Jola 4.5%, Soninke 1.4%, other 8.3% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2017 est.)

Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

Religions: Muslim 95.9% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 4.1% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2016 est.)

Demographic profile: Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal’s high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country’s large youth cohort - more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country’s high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged.Senegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa - and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country’s economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants).Additionally, about 16,000 Senegalese refugees still remain in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau as a result of more than 30 years of fighting between government forces and rebel separatists in southern Senegal’s Casamance region.

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.15% (male 3,106,942 /female 3,074,740)
15-24 years: 20.33% (male 1,521,868 /female 1,531,484)
25-54 years: 31.45% (male 2,176,052 /female 2,547,566)
55-64 years: 4.05% (male 261,682 /female 347,374)
65 years and over: 3.02% (male 200,079 /female 253,158) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 85.4 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 79.8 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 18 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 19 years
Male: 18.1 years
Female: 19.9 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 205

Population growth rate: 2.36% (2018 est.)
Rank: 30

Birth rate: 32.9 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 27

Death rate: 7.9 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 94

Net migration rate: -1.5 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 149

Population distribution: the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural

Urbanization
Urban population: 47.2% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 3.73% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 2.978 million DAKAR (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; periodic droughts; seasonal flooding; overfishing; weak environmental protective laws; wildlife populations threatened by poaching
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 0.85 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 0.76 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth:

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 48 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 53.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 42.1 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 32

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.5 years (2018 est.)
Male: 60.4 years (2018 est.)
Female: 64.7 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 199

Total fertility rate: 4.2 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 30

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 25.1% (2016)

Drinking water source
Urban: 7.1% of population
Rural: 32.7% of population
Total: 21.5% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.07 physicians/1000 population (2016)

Hospital bed density: 0.3 beds/1000 population (2008)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 34.6% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 66.2% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 52.4% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2017 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 76
People living with hivaids: 43,000 (2017 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 63
Deaths: 2,100 (2017 est.)
Deaths rank: 49

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever (2016)
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)
Animal contact diseases: rabies (2016)
Respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis (2016)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8.8% (2016)
Rank: 146

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 13.5% (2016)
Rank: 49

Education expenditures: 7.1% of GDP (2015)
Rank: 21

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 57.7% (2015 est.)
Male: 69.7% (2015 est.)
Female: 46.6% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years (2015)
Male: 9 years (2015)
Female: 9 years (2015)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
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
Etymology: named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; many theories exist for the origin of the river name; perhaps the most widely cited derives the name from Azenegue, the Portuguese appellation for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Dakar
Geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution
History: previous 1959 (preindependence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001 (2017)
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the prime minister through the president, 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; amended several times, last in 2016 (2017)

Legal system: civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mohammed Abdallah Boun DIONNE (since 4 July 2014)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held on 26 February 2012 with a runoff on 25 March 2012 (next to be held on 24 February 2019); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Macky SALL elected president in second round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 65.8%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 34.2%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (165 seats; 105 members including 15 representing Senegalese diaspora directly elected by plurality vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies and 60 members directly elected by proportional representation vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies)
Elections: National Assembly - last held on 2 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022)
Election results: National Assembly results - percent of vote by party/coalition - BBK 49.5%, CGWS 16.7%, MTS 11.7%, PUR 4.7%, CP-Kaddu Askan Wi 2%, other 15.4%; seats by party/coalition - BBY 125, CGWS 19, MTS 7, PUR 3, CP-Kaddu Askan Wi 2, other 9

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionel (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 Higher Council of the Judiciary, a body chaired by the president; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members 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

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR-Yakaar [Macky SALL]Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Mamadou DIOP Decriox]And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS-A [Landing SAVANE]Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope) [Macky SALL] (coalition includes AFP, APR, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, UNP)Bokk Gis Gis coalition [Pape DIOP]Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk [Mansour Sy DJAMIL]Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Mamadou NDOYE]Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE]Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]Grand Party or GP [Malick GAKOU]Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Magatte THIAM]Manko Taxawu Senegaal or MTS [Khalifa SALL] (coalition includes BGC, Du Nakk, FSD/BJ, GP, MCRN/Bes, Rewmi)National Union for the People or UNP [Souleymane Ndene NDIAYE]Party for Truth and Development or PVD [Cheikh Ahmadou Kara MBAKE]Party of Unity and Rally or PUR [El Hadji SALL]Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi [Abdoulaye BALDE]Reform Party or PR [Abdourahim AGNE]Rewmi Party [Idrissa SECK]Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]Tekki Movement [Mamadou Lamine DIALLO]Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]Winning Coalition Wattu Senegal or CGWS [Abdoulaye WADE] (includes AJ/PADS, AJ/PADS-A, Bokk Gis Gis, PDS, Tekki Movement)

International organization participation: 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, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Momar DIOP (since 22 June 2018)
In the us chancery: 2,215 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 629-2,961
In the us consulate: Houston, New York
From the us chief of mission: ambassador Tulinabo S. MUSHINGI (since August 2017); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau
From the us embassy: Route des Almadies, Dakar
From the us mailing address: B.P. 49, Dakar
From the us telephone: [221] 33-879-4,000
From the us FAX: [221] 33-822-2,991

Flag description:

National symbols: lion; national colors: green, yellow, red

National anthem
Name: Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons)
Lyricsmusic: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER: note: 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 heritage


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Economy overview: Senegal’s economy is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fisheries and agriculture, which are the primary sources of employment in rural areas. The country's key export industries include phosphate mining, fertilizer production, agricultural products and commercial fishing and Senegal is also working on oil exploration projects. It relies heavily on donor assistance, remittances and foreign direct investment. Senegal reached a growth rate of 7% in 2017, due in part to strong performance in agriculture despite erratic rainfall.President Macky SALL, who was elected in March 2012 under a reformist policy agenda, inherited an economy with high energy costs, a challenging business environment, and a culture of overspending. President SALL unveiled an ambitious economic plan, the Emerging Senegal Plan (ESP), which aims to implement priority economic reforms and investment projects to increase economic growth while preserving macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and a challenging business climate are among the perennial challenges that may slow the implementation of this plan.Senegal receives technical support from the IMF under a Policy Support Instrument (PSI) to assist with implementation of the ESP. The PSI implementation continues to be satisfactory as concluded by the IMF’s fifth review in December 2017. Financial markets have signaled confidence in Senegal through successful Eurobond issuances in 2014, 2017, and 2018.The government is focusing on 19 projects under the ESP to continue The government’s goal under the ESP is structural transformation of the economy. Key projects include the Thiès-Touba Highway, the new international airport opened in December 2017, and upgrades to energy infrastructure. The cost of electricity is a chief constraint for Senegal’s development. Electricity prices in Senegal are among the highest in the world. Power Africa, a US presidential initiative led by USAID, supports Senegal’s plans to improve reliability and increase generating capacity.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 107

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 18

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 188

Gross national saving:
Rank: 86

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 71.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 15.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 25.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.4% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 27% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.9% (2017 est.)
Industry: 24.3% (2017 est.)
Services: 58.8% (2017 est.)

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

Industries: agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (2017 est.)
Rank: 26

Labor force: 6.966 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 67
By occupation agriculture: 77.5%
By occupation industry: 22.5%
By occupation industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 48% (2007 est.)
Rank: 216

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 46.7% (2011 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 31.1% (2011)
Highest 10: 31.1% (2011)

Distribution of family income gini index: 40.3 (2011)
Rank: 63

Budget
Revenues: 4.139 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 4.9 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 151

Taxes and other revenues: 19.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 155

Public debt:
Rank: 108

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 73

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 140

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 138

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 97

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 99

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 121

Market value of publicly traded shares: NA

Current account balance:
Rank: 157

Exports:
Rank: 134
Partners: Mali 14.8%, Switzerland 11.4%, India 6%, Cote dIvoire 5.3%, UAE 5.1%, Gambia, The 4.2%, Spain 4.1% (2017)
Commodities: fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Imports:
Rank: 125
Commodities: food and beverages, capital goods, fuels
Partners: France 16.3%, China 10.4%, Nigeria 8%, India 7.2%, Netherlands 4.8%, Spain 4.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 122

Debt external:
Rank: 119

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 6.4 million (2013)
Access electrification total population: 55% (2013)
Access electrification urban areas: 90% (2013)
Access electrification rural areas: 28% (2013)
Production: 4.167 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 126
Consumption: 3.497 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 133
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 195
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 197
Installed generating capacity: 977,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 129
Generation sources fossil fuels: 82% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 79
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 179
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 127
Generation sources other renewable sources: 11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 80

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 196
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 190
Crude oil imports: 17,880 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 65
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 192

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 17,590 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 90
Products consumption: 48,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 107
Products exports: 4,063 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 94
Products imports: 32,050 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 98

Natural gas
Production: 59.46 million m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 85
Consumption: 59.46 million m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 111
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 180
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 186
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 191

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 8.644 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 113

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 290,636 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 115
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 15,758,366 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 64

Telephone system
General assessment: good system with microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system (2017)
Domestic: generally reliable urban system with a fiber-optic network; about two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar; mobile-cellular service is steadily displacing fixed-line service, even in urban areas (2017)
International: country code - 221; the ACE fiber-optic cable connects Senegal to Europe, the SAT-3/WASC provides fiber-optic connectivity to Europe and Asia, and Atlantis-2 provides connectivity to South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2017)

Broadcast media: state-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) broadcasts TV programs from five cities in Senegal; in most regions of the country, viewers can receive TV programming from at least 7 private broadcasters; a wide range of independent TV programming is available via satellite; RTS operates a national radio network and a number of regional FM stations; at least 7 community radio stations and 18 private-broadcast radio stations are available; transmissions of at least 5 international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar (2017)

Internet
Country code: .sn
Users total: 3,675,209 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 25.7% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 91

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 111,795 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Rank: 119


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 53

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 20 years of age for selective conscript service; 2-year service obligation; women have been accepted into military service since 2008 (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 115,355 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3,095,523
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 6V (2016)

Airports: 20 (2013)
Rank: 136
With paved runways total: 9 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 11 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 7 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: 43 km gas, 8 km refined products (2017)

Railways
Total: 906 km
Note: 1.000-m gauge (2017)
Narrow gauge: 906 km
Rank: 94

Roadways
Total: 16,496 km (2017)
Paved: 5,957 km
Note: (includes 72 km of expressways) (2017)
Unpaved: 10,539 km (2017)
Rank: 121

Waterways: 1000 km
Note: (primarily on the Senegal Saloum and Casamance Rivers) (2012)
Rank: 63

Merchant marine
Total: 26 (2017)
By type: general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 22 (2017)
Rank: 133

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Dakar


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Disputes international: cross-border trafficking in persons, timber, wildlife, and cannabis; rebels from the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance find refuge in Guinea-Bissau

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 13,779 (Mauritania) (2018)
IDPs: 22,000 (clashes between government troops and separatists in Casamance region) (2017)

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