# Senegal

| Republic of Senegal*République du Sénégal*  (French) |
| --- |
|
Flag

Coat of arms

 |
| **Motto:**"Un Peuple, Un But, Une Foi" (French) "One People, One Goal, One Faith" |
| **Anthem:**  "Le Lion rouge" "The Red Lion" |
| Location of  Senegal  (dark green) |
| Capitaland largest city | Dakar ﻿ / ﻿ |
| Official languages | French |
| National languages | * Wolof
* Serer
* Diola
* Hassaniya Arabic
* Pulaar
* Soninke
* Mandinka
 |
| Lingua franca | * Wolof
* French
* Pulaar
* Serer
* Diola
* Hassaniya Arabic
* Soninke
* Malinke
* Arabic
* others
 |
| Ethnic groups (2019) | * 39.7% Wolof
* 27.5% Fula
* 16.0% Serer
* 4.9% Mandinka
* 4.2% Jola
* 2.4% Soninke
* 5.4% others
 |
| Religion (2019) | * 97.2% Islam
* 2.7% Christianity
 |
| Demonym(s) | Senegalese |
| Government | Unitary presidential republic |
|  |
| • President  | Bassirou Diomaye Faye |
| • Prime Minister  | Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo |
| • President of the National Assembly  | Ousmane Sonko |
|  |
| Legislature | National Assembly |
| Independence |
|  |
| • Republic established  | 25 November 1957 |
| • from France  | 4 April 1960 |
| • Withdrawal from the Mali Federation  | 20 August 1960 |
| • from France  | 20 June 1960 |
| • as Senegal  | 22 September 1960 |
| • dissolution of the Senegambia Confederation  | 30 September 1989 |
|  |
| Area |
| • Total | 196,722 km2 (75,955 sq mi) (86th) |
| • Water (%) | 2.1 |
| Population |
| • 2024 estimate | 18,847,519 (67th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
| • Total |  $78.547 billion (106th) |
| • Per capita |  $4,324 (156th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
| • Total |  $31.141 billion (111th) |
| • Per capita |  $1,714 (157th) |
| Gini (2011) | 40.3 medium |
| HDI (2022) |  0.517 low · 169th |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Time zone | UTC  (GMT) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +221 |
| ISO 3166 code | SN |
| Internet TLD | .sn |

The **Republic of Senegal** (French *République da Sénégal*) is a country in West Africa. The capital is Dakar.
Senegal covers a land area of almost 197,000 square kilometres. It has population of about 18 million. The climate is tropical with two seasons: the dry season and the rainy cold season. Senegal was given independence by France in 1960.

Major industries are fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship construction and repair. Peanuts, sugarcane, cotton, green beans, industrial tomato, cherry tomato, melon, and mango are important cash crops.

French is the official language. Since 2024, Senegal's president has been Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

## History

In the 15th century, Portuguese people came to Gorée Island off the coast of Dakar. In the 17th century, French people and Dutch people came there, too. These European countries used the island as a trading post in slaves from the mainland, and was controlled by the Muslim Wolof Empires. Slavery was later made illegal by France, but soon after, around 1850, the French started to conquer the Wolof. By 1902 Senegal was a part of the French colony French West Africa.

In January 1959, Senegal and the French Sudan became one to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. This did not last long and Senegal and Mali broke apart into separate nations. Between 1982 and 1989, Senegal and The Gambia joined together to make Senegambia.

## Geography

In the north of Senegal is the Senegal River. To the north of the river is Mauritania. The nation borders Mali in the east, Guinea-Bissau in the south, and Guinea in the south-east. The Gambia is another country inside of Senegal, along the Gambia River. It is about 300 km long.

The north of Senegal is part of the Sahel. The highest mountain is 581 m high. The rainy season is between June and October. The average temperature on the coast is about 24° C, and inland about 27° C.

### Regions

* Dakar
* Diourbel
* Fatick
* Kaffrine
* Kaolack
* Kédougou
* Kolda
* Louga
* Matam
* Saint-Louis
* Sédhiou
* Tambacounda
* Thiès
* Ziguinchor