I INTRODUCTION  
Senegal, republic in western Africa, bounded on the north by Mauritania, on the east by Mali, on the south by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The Gambia, a small, narrow country, forms an enclave in southern Senegal, extending inland along the Gambia River. The republic's total area is 196,722 sq km (75,955 sq mi). Dakar is the capital and largest city.

II LAND AND RESOURCES  
Most of Senegal is an undulating plain lying below about 100 m (about 330 ft). Elevations rise above 500 m (above 1,600 ft) only in the extreme southeast in the foothills of the Fouta Djallon (Futa Jallon). The main rivers are the Sénégal, which forms the northern boundary, and the Saloum, Gambia, and Casamance. Although these rivers are subject to seasonal variations in their flow, all are navigable on their lower courses.

A Climate  Most of Senegal has a transitional climate from the dry desert zone in the north to the moist tropical zone in the south. The rainy season lasts from July to October in the north, where rainfall averages about 380 mm (about 15 in); in the south the rainy season lasts from June to October, with annual rainfall about 1,400 mm (about 55 in). Average temperature on the coast is 22° C (72° F) in January and 28° C (82° F) in July.

B Vegetation and Animal Life  The northern section of Senegal is part of the Sahel, a transition zone between the Sahara on the north and the wetter regions to the south. Vegetation here consists largely of savanna grass with scattered clumps of trees and spiny shrubs. Farther south, in the region of the Gambia River, trees become more common. In the extreme south are mangrove swamps and dense forests of oil palms, mahogany, teak, and bamboo. Wildlife is diverse, but larger mammals, such as the elephants, lions, cheetahs, and antelope, are largely confined to the less populated eastern half of the country. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles are found in the rivers. Among Senegal's numerous varieties of snakes are the cobra and boa constrictor.

C Mineral Resources  Phosphates, mined near Thiès, are Senegal's principal exploited mineral resource. Reserves of both petroleum and natural gas were discovered offshore in the late 1970s. Large deposits of iron ore exist in the country but have not been exploited because of their remoteness.

III POPULATION  
The population of Senegal incorporates a diversity of ethnic groups. The largest of these include the Wolof (44 percent of the population), Fulani and Tukulor (24 percent), Serer (15 percent), Diola (5 percent), and Mandinka (also known as Mandingo or Malinké), who comprise 4 percent.

A Population Characteristics  The population of Senegal (1998 estimate) is 9,723,149. The overall density is 49 persons per sq km (128 per sq mi), but the majority of the population is concentrated along the western coast. The population is 55 percent rural.

B Principal Cities  

Dakar (population, 1994, 1,641,358) is the capital and principal port and commercial center. Other major urban centers are Thiès (216,381), Kaolack (193,115), and Saint-Louis (132,499), all of which are in western Senegal.

C Language and Religion  French is the official language of Senegal, although Wolof is the most widely understood of the many African languages. Sunni Muslim followers are 92 percent of the people, while 6 percent follow traditional beliefs and 2 percent are Christian.

D Education and Culture  
Education in Senegal is, in theory, compulsory for all children between the ages of 7 and 13. In 1996, however, only 69 percent of primary school-age children and 16 percent of secondary school-age children were actually attending school. Institutions of higher education had an enrollment of 24,100 in 1995. The University of Dakar, founded in 1949, has a noted research institute for studies of black Africa. The principal art, history, and maritime museums are in Dakar.

IV ECONOMY  
Although most of the population works in agriculture, Senegal has a growing industrial sector, one of the largest in West Africa. Nevertheless, two cash crops remain at the foundation of the economy—peanuts and cotton. Important technical and economic assistance has been provided by France and other countries of the European Union and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank). In 1997 gross domestic product (GDP) was $4.5 billion, or $520 a person.

A Agriculture  
Agriculture occupies 77 percent of the economically active population. However, only 12 percent of the land area is cultivated. Senegal is among the world's largest producers of peanuts. Grown in many areas, especially the northwest, the country produced 505,900 metric tons in 1998. Peanuts and peanut oil provide a significant share of yearly export earnings, although their contribution declined from 29 percent of earnings in the early 1980s to 9 percent in 1993. The other important cash crop is cotton; in 1998 52,469 metric tons were produced. Attempts are being made to diversify agriculture, including the expansion of rice and tomato cultivation, to achieve self-sufficiency in food. Other crops included maize (426,481 metric tons); rice (173,702 metric tons); and sugarcane (885,000 metric tons). Livestock included 2.9 million cattle, 4.2 million sheep, 3.6 million goats, and 44 million poultry.

B Forestry and Fishing  
Roundwood production in 1997 amounted to 5.2 million cu m (183 million cu ft). Senegal's coastal waters are rich in fish, and the country has a modern fishing fleet. Landings in 1996 totaled 358,677 metric tons.

C Mining and Manufacturing  Phosphates are the leading mineral product of Senegal. In 1997 output totaled 1,535,000 metric tons. A petroleum refinery with an annual capacity of 900,000 metric tons makes use of imported oil. Other manufactures include food products, such as peanut oil, refined sugar, canned tuna, and flour; cement; fertilizers; textiles; chemicals; and tobacco products.

D Energy  In 1997 Senegal produced 1,125 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. All electricity was thermally generated.

E Transportation and Communications  Senegal is served by a good road network of 14,576 km (9,057 mi), of which 29 percent are paved. The country also has 906 km (563 mi) of railroads, which connect the cities along the coast and run inland to Mali. The government of Senegal operates radio and television broadcasting. In 1996 the country had 141 radio receivers and 41 television sets for every 1,000 inhabitants. Senegal has 1 daily newspapers, with a combined circulation of 45,000.

F Currency and Foreign Trade  The currency is the CFA franc, consisting of 100 centimes (584 CFA francs equal U.S.$1; 1997 average). Central banking functions are exercised by the Central Bank of the West African States. Senegal has a chronic trade deficit. In 1996 exports earned $876 million and imports cost $1,367 million. Major exports include basic manufactures, fish products, peanuts, petroleum products, and phosphates. Main imports are crude petroleum, basic manufactured goods, and grain. Chief trading partners for exports are France, Italy, Mali, Spain, India, and Côte d’Ivoire; principal partners for imports are France, Cameroon, Nigeria, Italy, Thailand, Algeria, China, and Japan.

G Tourism  The government of Senegal has encouraged tourism, and during the 1970s tourist facilities were greatly expanded. Among the country's attractions are its fine beaches and national parks, which include a wild game reserve. The country received about 300,000 visitors in 1997.

V GOVERNMENT  
Senegal is a republic, governed under a constitution promulgated in 1963 and subsequently amended.

A Executive  Executive power is vested in a president, who is popularly elected to a seven-year term. The president appoints the prime minister, who, in consultation with the president, appoints a cabinet, called the Council of Ministers.

B Legislature  Senegal has a bicameral (two-chamber) legislature, composed of the National Assembly (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). The 140 members of the National Assembly are popularly elected to five-year terms. Of the Senate’s 60 seats, 45 are elected by the National Assembly and local government officials, 12 are appointed by the president, and 3 are elected by Senegalese citizens living abroad.

C Judiciary  In addition to lower courts and tribunals that cover civil and criminal cases, the Senegal judicial system consists of four higher courts: the Supreme Court, the High Court, the Constitutional Council, and the Council of State. The Supreme Court is the highest court and acts as a court of appeal. The High Court is made up of elected members from the National Assembly and has the power to impeach the president in case of high treason. The Constitutional Council is made up of the president, vice president, and three judges appointed by the president; this court reviews international agreements, disputes between the executive and legislative branches, and disagreements between the Council of State and the Supreme Court. The Council of State hears cases regarding the abuse of power, contentions concerning electoral lists, and irregularities in public accounts.

D Local Government  For the purpose of local administration, Senegal is divided into ten regions, each with a governor appointed by the president and an elected local assembly.

E Political Parties  The leading political party of Senegal is the ruling Senegalese Socialist Party. Major opposition parties include the Senegalese Democratic Party, the African Party for Democracy and Socialism, and the Democratic League.

VI HISTORY  Remains of Paleolithic and Neolithic civilizations have been discovered by archaeologists in the region now occupied by Senegal. About AD 500 Wolof and Serer peoples arrived from the northeast. In the 9th century Tukolor settled in the Sénégal River valley, and the powerful Tekrur state of the Tukolor dominated eastern Senegal from the 11th to the 14th century. By the 15th century a pattern of Wolof and Serer states was well established there. Until far into the 18th century the decentralized Wolof empire near the coast retained nominal suzerainty over the other Wolof states, including those of Baol, Wale, and Cayor.

A European Rivalry  Modern trade links with Europe were forged after the Portuguese reached the mouth of the Sénégal River and Cap Vert in 1444 and 1445. The Portuguese traded cloth and metal goods in return for gold dust, gum arabic, and ivory.

B French Rule  Under Captain Louis Faidherbe, and his successors after the mid-19th century, French control of the Wolof, Serer, and Tukolor states was forcefully extended and consolidated. In 1895 Senegal officially was made a French colony, administered from Saint-Louis. In 1902 government headquarters was shifted to Dakar, which was also the capital of French West Africa. The French developed Senegal's economy around the cultivation of peanuts for export.

C Independence  In 1958 Senegal was granted almost complete internal autonomy, and in June 1960, it became fully independent as part of the Mali Federation, which joined Senegal with the Sudanese Republic (now Mali). On August 20, 1960, Senegal withdrew from the federation and became a separate republic. Senghor was elected the first president; he was reelected in 1963, 1968, 1973, and 1978. Following an alleged coup d'état attempt in 1962 by Prime Minister Mamadou Dia, the powers of the president were greatly increased in a new constitution that went into effect in 1963. Under Senghor's regime the country made progress in diversifying its economy, but income from foreign sales of peanuts remained crucial. At times, notably in 1968 and 1973, students staged large demonstrations to protest the concentration of power in Senghor's hands. A multiparty system was established by constitutional amendment in 1976, and at the end of 1980 Senghor stepped down and named Abdou Diouf, who had been prime minister since 1970, as his successor. After adopting a popular anticorruption program, Diouf won 1983 presidential elections by a wide margin.

D Regional Issues  In 1982 Senegal joined with its neighbor, The Gambia, to form the confederation of Senegambia, headed by Diouf; the confederation collapsed in 1989, but in 1991 the two nations signed a new treaty of cooperation. The late 1980s were marked by border tensions with Mauritania, sparked by a dispute over grazing rights. More than 400 people, mostly Senegalese, were killed in border clashes, and war was barely averted. Also in the 1980s, an armed separatist movement arose in the Casamance region (the part of Senegal south of The Gambia). This movement, which claims that Casamance is a historically distinct region from the rest of Senegal, staged periodic attacks on military posts and governmental offices in Casamance in the 1980s and 1990s.

E Political Developments  
The popularity Diouf enjoyed in his first years as president began to fade in the mid-1980s, as the economy faltered and many opposition groups protested the ruling Socialist Party’s grip on political power. When Diouf and the Socialist Party won the 1988 presidential and legislative elections by a large majority, the opposition accused the ruling party of electoral fraud and protested by rioting in Dakar. In 1991 Diouf initiated electoral reforms, but the Socialist Party retained control over the electoral commission (which oversees elections and tallies the votes). The presidential term was extended from five to seven years, and a two-term limit was imposed (effective after the next election). Diouf was reelected in 1993, but again the opposition protested, charging electoral fraud. The Socialist Party again won a majority of legislative seats in May 1998 and, in August, voted to abolish the presidential two-term limit. The controversial vote was boycotted by all opposition legislators but one.

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