The Republic of Senegal is a country south of the Senegal River in West Africa. Senegal is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. The Gambia forms a virtual enclave within Senegal, following the Gambia River more than 300 km inland. The Cape Verde islands lie some 560 km off the Senegalese coast. The Senegal River, in West Africa, forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania. ... West Africa is the region of western Africa generally considered to include these countries: Benin Burkina Faso Cameroon Côte dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Equatorial Guinea Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) Senegal Sierra Leone Togo Chad, Mauritania, and... The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a country in northwest Africa. ... See also the Empire of Mali and the town of Mali, Guinea. ... The Republic of Guinea (République de Guinée) is a nation in northwest Africa. ... The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country on the Atlantic coast of western Africa. ... The Republic of the Gambia is a nation in West Africa. ... In human geography, an enclave is a piece of land which is totally enclosed within a foreign territory. ... The Gambia River is a major river in Africa, running 1,130 km (700 miles) from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. ... Cape Verde (Portuguese: Cabo Verde) is a republic located on an archipelago of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa. ...

(In Detail)
National motto: Un Peuple, Un But, Une Foi (French: One People, One Goal, One Belief)
Official languages	French
Capital	Dakar
President	Abdoulaye Wade
Prime Minister	Macky Sall
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 85th 196,190 km² 2.1%
Population  - Total (2002)  - Density	Ranked 75th 10,284,929 52/km²
Independence  - Date	From France 1959
Currency	CFA Franc
Time zone	UTC 0
National anthem	Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons
Internet TLD	.sn
Calling Code	221

Large flag of Senegal Image originally derived from the public domain flags of the CIA World Factbook. ... Senegalese coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Senegal was adopted on August 20, 1960. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An official language is something that is given a unique status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper ( commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop ( PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... This page contains a list of presidents of Senegal. ... Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Senegalese people ... Alternative meaning: Prime Minister (band) A prime minister is the leading member of the cabinet of the top level government in a parliamentary system of government of a country, alternatively A prime minister is an official in a presidential system or semi-presidential system whose duty is to execute the... Macky Sall (born 1961) is the prime minister of Senegal. ... This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Here is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The countries using the CFA franc The CFA franc (in French: franc CFA, or just franc in everyday conversation if no ambiguity is possible) is a currency used in 12 formerly French-ruled African countries, as well as in Guinea-Bissau (former Portuguese colony) and in Equatorial Guinea (former Spanish... -1... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The National Anthem is the name of a song by the band Radiohead. ... Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons is the national anthem of Senegal, adopted in 1960. ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of which Internet domain names consist of. ... .sn is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Senegal. ...

History

Main article: History of Senegal Archaeological findings throughout the area indicate that Senegal was inhabited in prehistoric times. ...

Islam, the dominant religion in Senegal, first came to the region in the 11th century. Of the native kingdoms, the Jolof Empire of the 14th century was the most powerful. Various European powers came to the area from the 15th century onward, until France ended up in possession of what had become an important slave trade departure point. Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... (10th century - 11th century - 12th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ... Senegal has a very varied cultural landscape and a history of kingdoms, empires, brotherhoods and colonial struggles (between and against colonizing powers). ... The Jolof Empire ruled various parts of Senegal. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Dakar became the capital of the French colony of French West Africa in 1902. In January 1959, Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on August 20, 1960. Both Senegal and French Sudan (renamed the Republic of Mali) proclaimed independence individually. (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper ( commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop ( PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... In various forms, France had colonial possessions since the beginning of the 17th century until the 1960s. ... French West Africa (Afrique occidentale française, or AOF) was a federation of eight French territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), Guinea, Côte dIvoire, Niger, Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and Dahomey (now Benin). ... Events January-April January 28 - The Carnegie Institution is founded in Washington, DC with a $10 million gift from Andrew Carnegie. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... French Sudan (Fr. ... The Mali Federation was a country in West Africa. ... June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... See also the Empire of Mali and the town of Mali, Guinea. ...

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 separatist group in the southern Casamance region has sporadically clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. The Republic of the Gambia is a nation in West Africa. ... Senegambia was a loose confederation between the small West African country of Senegal and its smaller neighbor The Gambia (which is surrounded by Senegal, except for an outlet to the sea), which existed from February 1, 1982 to September 30, 1989 following an agreement between the two countries signed on... Flag of Casamance Casamance is the area of Senegal south of The Gambia including the Casamance River. ... Peacekeeping is a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Senegal Senegal is a secular republic with a strong presidency, weak legislature, reasonably independent judiciary, and multiple political parties. ...

The Senegalese republic's head of state is the president, elected by universal adult suffrage to a five-year term, who appoints the prime minister who in turn appoints the cabinet in consultation with the president. The unicameral Senegalese parliament is the National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale with 120 members, who are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms, separately from the president. In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, universities, and countries. ... Alternative meaning: Prime Minister (band) A prime minister is the leading member of the cabinet of the top level government in a parliamentary system of government of a country, alternatively A prime minister is an official in a presidential system or semi-presidential system whose duty is to execute the... Alternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation) A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ...

The Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation and the Constitutional Council, the justices of which are named by the president, are the nation's highest tribunals. The law on decentralisation, which came into effect in January 1997, distributed significant central government authority to regional assemblies. Senegal is characterised by a democratic multiparty political culture and has enjoyed relatively stable governments since independence.

Regions

Main article: Regions of Senegal Senegal is subdivided into 11 regions (régions, singular - région) (regional capitals have the same name as their respective regions): Dakar Diourbel Fatick Kaolack Kolda Louga Matam Saint-Louis Tambacounda Thiès Ziguinchor Categories: Lists of subnational entities | Regions of Senegal ...

Senegal is subdivided into 11 regions (régions, singular - région):

• Dakar
• Diourbel
• Fatick
• Kaolack
• Kolda
• Louga
• Matam
• Saint-Louis
• Tambacounda
• Thiès
• Ziguinchor

Dakar is by far Senegals largest city. ... Fatick is a region of Senegal. ... The Kaolack region is a region in Senegal. ... Matam is a starkly beautiful, flat, arid place bounded on the north by the Senegal River and the south by the Sahelian plain studded with Baobaob trees made famous in Le Petite Prince. ... The Saint Louis region of Senegal sits just off the border with Mauritania. ... Tambacounda is a crossroads in West Africa. ... Thiès is a city in western Senegal, near Dakar. ... Ziguinchor is the capital of the Casamance region of Senegal. ...

Geography

Map of Senegal

Main article: Geography of Senegal Map of Senegal from the 2002 CIA Factbook File links The following pages link to this file: Senegal Geography of Senegal Categories: CIA World Factbook images ... Senegal is a coastal West African nation located 14 degrees north of the Equator and 14 degrees west of the Prime Meridian. ...

The Senegalese landscape consists mainly of the rolling sandy plains of the western Sahel which rise to foothills in the southeast. Here is also found Senegal's highest point, an otherwise unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha at 581 m. The northern border is formed by the Senegal River, other rivers include the Gambia and Casamance Rivers. The capital Dakar lies on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of continental Africa. See also Sahel, Tunisia, a region of eastern Tunisia. ... The Senegal River, in West Africa, forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania. ... The Gambia River is a major river in Africa, running 1,130 km (700 miles) from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul. ... The Casamance River is a river that flows west between Gambia and Guinea-Bissau and into the Atlantic Ocean along a path about 200 miles (320 km) in length. ... (City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes darrondissement) City proper ( commune) Région Dakar Département Dakar Mayor Pape Diop ( PDS) (since 2002) Area 82. ... The peninsula of Cap-Vert (Cape Verde, meaning green point) is the westernmost part of the continent of Africa. ...

Huts in the countryside

The local climate is tropical with well-defined dry and humid seasons that result from northeast winter winds and southwest summer winds. Dakar's annual rainfall of about 24 in (600 mm) occurs between June and October when maximum temperatures average 27 °C; December to February minimum temperatures are about 17 °C. Interior temperatures are higher than along the coast, and rainfall increases substantially farther south, exceeding 1500 mm annually in some areas. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ... The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Senegal Economy - overview: In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. ...

In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform programme with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50 percent devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the former French franc and now to the euro. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1 percent in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform programme, with real growth in GDP averaging 5 percent annually during 1995-2001. Annual inflation had been pushed down to less than 1 percent, but rose to an estimated 3.3 percent in 2001. Investment rose steadily from 13.8 percent of GDP in 1993 to 16.5 percent in 1997. 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... The countries using the CFA franc The CFA franc (in French: franc CFA, or just franc in everyday conversation if no ambiguity is possible) is a currency used in 12 formerly French-ruled African countries, as well as in Guinea-Bissau (former Portuguese colony) and in Equatorial Guinea (former Spanish... The franc is the name of several currency units. ... Euro (disambiguation). ... In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... Inflation rates of five core members of the G8 from 1950 to 1994. ...

Street vendors

As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realised full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, trade union militancy, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... A tariff is a tax placed on imported and/or exported goods, sometimes called a customs duty. ... This article is about the Internet An internet is a more general term for any set of interconnected computer networks that are connected by internetworking Graphic representation of the WWW information network structure around Wikipedia, as represented by hyperlinks The Internet, or simply the Net, is the publicly available worldwide... Information technology (IT) or information and communication technology (ICT) is the technology required for information processing. ... Unemployment rates in the United States. ... A union (labor union in American English; trade union, sometimes trades union, in British English; either labour union or trade union in Canadian English) is a legal entity consisting of employees or workers having a common interest, such as all the assembly workers for one employer, or all the workers... Juvenile delinquency refers to antisocial or criminal acts performed by juveniles. ... Drug addiction, or dependency is the compulsive use of drugs, to the point where the user has no effective choice but to continue use. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Senegal About 70% of Senegals population is rural. ...

Senegal has a wide variety of ethnic groups and, accordingly, multiple languages are spoken. French is the official language but is used regularly only by the literate minority. The Wolof are the largest single group in Senegal at 43%, other ethnic groups include the Fula (24%), the Serer (15%), the Jola (4%), Mandinka (3%), beside numerous smaller communities. About 50,000 Europeans (mostly French) and Lebanese reside in Senegal, mainly in the cities. Senegal has a very varied cultural landscape and a history of kingdoms, empires, brotherhoods and colonial struggles (between and against colonizing powers). ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... The Wolof are the largest ethnic group in Senegal with approximately 45% of the population. ... Categories: Africa-related stubs | Burkina Faso | Cameroon | Ethnic groups of Africa | Fulani Empire | Mali | Nigeria ... The Serer (also spelled Serreer, Sereer, Sèrèr, Sérér, Seréer, Sèréer, Séréer, etc. ... The Mandinka are a people of West Africa. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... The Lebanese Republic or Lebanon is a country in the Middle East, along the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Syria and Israel. ...

Most Senegalese (90%) are Muslim, with a minority of some 9% adhering to Christian faiths (mostly Roman Catholic), as well as a small (1%) group that follows indigenous beliefs. About 70% of Senegal's population lives in rural areas. Density in these areas varies from about 77 km² in the west-central region to 2 km²in the arid eastern section. Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام,  listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ...

Culture

On the beach at Mbour

Main article: Culture of Senegal Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

• List of Senegalese
• Cinema of Senegal
• Music of Senegal
• List of writers from Senegal
• The senegalese writer and film director Ousmane Sembène is considered to be the 'father' of African Cinema.

This is a list of famous Senegalese people: Athletes Louis Phal El Hadji Diouf Battling Siki Authors Mariama Bâ Alioune Diop Fatou Diome Sheikh Hamidou Kane Ousmane Sembène Léopold Senghor Film Safi Faye Ousmane Sembene Historians Cheikh Anta Diop Paulin Vieyra Musicians Baaba Maal Youssou NDour Isma... Senegals musical heritage is more well-known than most African countries, due to the popularity of mbalax, which is a form of Wolof percussive music; it has been popularized by Youssou NDour. ... African Writers (by country): This is a list of literary figures from the African continent, listed by country, including poets, novelists, childrens writers, essayists, and scholars, listed by country. ... Sembene Ousmane (born January 1, 1923) is a Senegalese film director, producer and writer. ...

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Senegal
• Transportation in Senegal
• Military of Senegal
• Foreign relations of Senegal
• Indigenous cultures, kingdoms and ethnic groups of Senegal

File links The following pages link to this file: Abu Dhabi Abraham Lincoln Australia Adolf Hitler Animation Andorra Alaska Anatomy Asia Albert Einstein Asterales Automobile Aircraft Alexander Graham Bell Apple Computer American Civil War Ancient Egypt Asteraceae Alps Arches National Park Aarhus Almond Caesar Augustus Acacia Acropolis Acupuncture Amaranth Alexander... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 224,600 (2002) Telephones - mobile cellular: 553,400 (2002) Telephone system: domestic: general assessment: good system domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat... Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1. ... Senegal has well-trained and disciplined armed forces consisting of about 19,000 personnel in the army, air force, navy, and gendarmerie. ... President Léopold Senghor advocated close relations with France and negotiation and compromise as the best means of resolving international differences. ... Senegal has a very varied cultural landscape and a history of kingdoms, empires, brotherhoods and colonial struggles (between and against colonizing powers). ...

External links

• Gouvernement du Sénégal (http://www.gouv.sn) - Official governmental website (in French)
• Teranga Senegal (http://www.teranga-senegal.com) - French Portal - Travel guide (in French)

Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...