Background: Independent from France in 1960 Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Map reference: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 196,190 km²
Land: 192,000 km²

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

Coastline: 531 km

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

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

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

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use
Arable land: 27%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 30%
Forest and woodland: 31%
Other: 12%

Irrigated land: 1,800 km² (1989 est.)

Natural hazards: lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Geography
Note: The Gambia is almost an enclave

Population: 8,730,508 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.11% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Senegalese (singular and plural)

Ethnic groups: Wolof 36%, Fulani 17%, Serer 17%, Toucouleur 9%, Diola 9%, Mandingo 9%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 2%

Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo

Religions: Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% (mostly Roman Catholic)

Population growth rate: 3.11% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 43.15 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 12.01 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Environment
Current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 75.7 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 56.58 years
Male: 55.12 years
Female: 58.09 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.09 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 38%
Male: 52%
Female: 25%

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
Conventional short form:

Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital: Dakar

Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular - region; Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Independence: 20 August 1960 (from France; The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)

National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution: 3 March 1963, last revised in 1991

Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court, which also audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981); election last held 21 February 1993 (next to be held February 2000); results - Abdou DIOUF (PS) 58.4%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 32.03%, other 9.57%
Head of government: Prime Minister Habib THIAM (since 7 April 1991)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Police
National Assembly Assemblee Nationale: elections last held 9 May 1993 (next to be held NA May 1998); results - PS 70%, PDS 23%, other 7%; seats - (120 total) PS 84, PDS 27, LD-MPT 3, Let Us Unite Senegal 3, PIT 2, UDS-R 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMUR, UNTAC, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mark JOHNSON
From the us chancery: 2,112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
From the us telephone: [221] 23-42-96 or 23-34-24
From the us embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar
From the us mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
From the us FAX: [221] 22-29-91

Flag description: 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

Economy overview: After 14 years of mixed compliance with IMF and World Bank economic reform programs, Senegal finds its economy remains hostage to negative economic forces. Declining terms of trade, weather-related setbacks, and relentless growth in population have held back overall growth and left per capita incomes stagnant, if not diminished. The economy continues to rely on exports of fish, peanuts, and phosphates for hard currency earnings. A 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 is likely to lead to substantial increases in local currency prices for producers that may spur improved production. A sheltered import-substitution sector, comprising textiles, shoes, and other light manufacturing, will remain plagued, however, by high labor, transportation, and energy costs. Public finances face a decade-long trend in declining tax revenues, making the government increasingly dependent on official development assistance from bilateral donors.

Real gdp growth rate: 1.2% (1991 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,400 (1993 est.)

Agriculture products: accounts for 20% of GDP; major products - peanuts (cash crop), millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; estimated two-thirds self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 354,000 metric tons in 1990

Industries: agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, petroleum refining, building materials

Industrial production growth rate: 1.9% (1991; accounts for 15% of GDP

Labor force: 2.509 million (77% are engaged in subsistence farming; 175,000 wage earners)
By occupation private sector: 40%
By occupation governmentandparapublic: 60%
By occupation note: 52% of population of working age (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues:$1.2 billion

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $904 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
Commodities: fish, ground nuts, petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Partners: France, other EC members, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali

Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
Commodities: foods and beverages, consumer goods, capital goods, petroleum
Partners: France, other EC, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Algeria, China, Japan

Debt external: $2.9 billion (1990)

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 592.05 (January 1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989)
Note: the official rate is pegged to the French franc, and beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Electricity
Capacity: 215,000 kW
Production: 760 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 100 kWh (1991)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $100 million, 2% of GDP (1989 est.)

Airports: 26
Usable: 20
With permanentsurface runways: 10
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 16

Waterways: 897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal, 112 km on the Saloum

Merchant marine: 1 bulk ship (1,000 GRT and over) totaling 1,995 GRT/3,775 DWT

Disputes international: short section of the boundary with The Gambia is indefinite; Senegal and Guinea-Bissau signed an agreement resolving their maritime boundary in 1993; boundary with Mauritania

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Europe and North America