Senegal

Senegal,officially theRepublic of Senegal,is the westernmost country inWest Africa, situated on theAtlantic Oceancoastline. It bordersMauritaniatothe north,Malitothe east,Guineatothe southeastandGuinea-Bissautothe southwest. Senegal nearlysurroundsThe Gambia, a country occupying a narrow sliver of land along the banks of theGambia River, which separates Senegal's southern region ofCasamancefrom the rest of the country.It also shares a maritime border withCape Verde. Senegal's economic and political capital isDakar.
Senegal is the westernmost country in the mainland of theOld World, orAfro-Eurasia.It owes its name to theSenegal River, which borders it to the east and north.The climate is typicallySahelian, though there is arainy season. Senegal covers a land area of almost 197,000 square kilometres (76,000 sq mi) and has a population of around 18 million.The state is aunitarypresidential republic; since the country's foundation in 1960, it has been recognized as one of the most stable countries on the African continent.On the 2024V-Dem Democracy Indices, Senegal is ranked 68th in electoral democracy worldwide and 4th inelectoral democracy in Africa.
The state was formed as part of the independence ofFrench West AfricafromFrench colonial rule. Because of this history, French is the official language, but it is understood by only a minority of the population.Over 30 languagesare spoken in Senegal.Wolofis the most widely spoken one, with 80% of the population speaking it as a first or second language,acting as Senegal'slingua francaalongside French. Like other African nations, the country includes a widemix of ethnic and linguistic communities, with the largest being theWolof,Fula, andSerer people. Senegalese people are predominantlyMuslim.
Senegal is classified as aheavily indebted poor country, with a relatively low ranking on theHuman Development Index(169th out of 193). Most of the population lives on the coast and worksin agriculture or other food industries; other major industries include mining, tourism, and services.The country does not have notable natural resources,but the basis of its development lies in education,where almost half the state's budget is spent.Senegal is a member state of theAfrican Union, the United Nations, theEconomic Community of West African States(ECOWAS),Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, theOrganisation of Islamic Cooperation, and theCommunity of Sahel–Saharan States. In the world ofmotor sports, Senegal is known for theParis–Dakar Rally.
The country of Senegal is named after theSenegal River. The name of the river may derive from aPortuguesetransliteration of the name of theZenaga, also known as theSanhaja.Alternatively, it could be a combination of the supreme deity inSerer religion(Rog Sene) ando galmeaningbody of waterin theSerer language. French author and priest David Boilat put forward the theory that the name derives from theWolofphrase "sunuu gaal", which means "our canoe".
Archaeological findings throughout the area indicate that Senegal was inhabited in prehistoric times and has been continuously occupied by various ethnic groups. Some kingdoms were created around the seventh century:Takrurin the sixth century, Namandiru and theJolof Empireduring the 13th and 14th centuries. Eastern Senegal was once part of theGhana Empire.
Islam was introduced throughToucouleurandSoninkecontact with theAlmoravid dynastyof theMaghreb, who in turn propagated it with the help of the Almoravids and Toucouleur allies. This movement faced resistance from ethnicities of traditional religions, the Serers in particular.
In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under the influence of the empires to the east; the Jolof Empire of Senegal was also founded during this time. In the Senegambia region, between 1300 and 1900, close to one-third of the population wasenslaved, typically as a result of being taken captive in warfare.
In the 14th century the Jolof Empire grew more powerful, having unitedCayorand the kingdoms ofBaol,Siné,Saloum,Waalo,Futa TooroandBambouk, or much of present-day West Africa. The empire was a voluntary confederacy of various states rather than being built on military conquest.The empire was founded by Ndiadiane Ndiaye, a partSererand part Toucouleur, who was able to form a coalition with many ethnicities, but collapsed around 1549 with the defeat and killing of Lele Fouli Fak by Amari Ngone Sobel Fall.
In the mid-15th century, the Portuguese landed on the Senegal coastline, followed by traders representing other countries, including the French.Various European powers—Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain—competed for trade in the area from the 15th century onward.
In 1677, France gained control of what had become a minor departure point in theAtlantic slave trade: the island ofGoréenext to modern Dakar, used as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland.
European missionaries introduced Christianity to Senegal and theCasamancein the 19th century. It was only in the 1850s that the French began to expand onto the Senegalese mainland, after they abolished slavery and began promoting anabolitionistdoctrine,adding native kingdoms like the Waalo, Cayor, Baol, and Jolof. French colonists under GovernorLouis Faidherbeprogressively invaded and took over all the kingdoms, except the Serer Kingdoms ofSineandSaloum.
Yoro Dyaowas in command of the canton of Foss-Galodjina and was set over Wâlo (Ouâlo) by Louis Faidherbe,where he served as a chief from 1861 to 1914.Senegalese resistance to the French expansion was led in part byLat-Dior,Damelof Cayor, andMaad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof(theMaad a Sinig, King of Sine), resulting in the famousBattle of Logandème―the battle in  which the Serer King ofSinewent to war against the mightyFrench colonial empire, where the French decided to take revenge against Sine following their humiliating defeat atthe Battle of Djilor. The Battle of Logandème was the first battle on Senegambian soil where the French decided to employ cannonball.
In 1915, over 300 Senegalese came under Australian command, ahead of thetaking of Damascusby Australians, before the expected arrival of the famedLawrence of Arabia. French and British diplomacy in the area were thrown into disarray.
TheBattle of Dakar(23–25 September 1940) was an unsuccessful attempt by theAlliesto capture the strategic port and overthrow the pro-GermanVichy Frenchadministration in the colony.
On 25 November 1958, Senegal became an autonomous republic within theFrench Community.
In January 1959, Senegal and theFrench Sudanmerged to form theMali Federation, which became fully independent on 20 June 1960, as a result of a transfer of power agreement signed with France on 4 April 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on 20 August 1960 when Senegal and French Sudan (renamed the Republic ofMali) each proclaimed independence.
Léopold Sédar Senghorwas elected Senegal's first president in August 1960. Pro-African, Senghor advocated a brand of African socialism.
After the breakup of the Mali Federation, Senghor and Prime MinisterMamadou Diagoverned together under a parliamentary system. In December 1962, their political rivalry led to anattempted coupby Dia. The coup was put down without bloodshed and Dia was arrested and imprisoned. Senegal adopted a new constitution that consolidated the President's power.
Senghor was considerably more tolerant of opposition than most African leaders became in the 1960s. Nonetheless, political activity was somewhat restricted for a time. Senghor's party, the Senegalese Progressive Union (now theSocialist Party of Senegal), was the only legally permitted party from 1965 until 1975.  In the latter year, Senghor allowed the formation of two opposition parties that began operation in 1976—a Marxist party (theAfrican Independence Party) and a liberal party (theSenegalese Democratic Party).
The 1960s and early 1970s saw the continued and persistent violating of Senegal's borders by the Portuguese military fromPortuguese Guinea. In response, Senegal petitioned theUnited Nations Security Councilin 1963,1965, 1969 (in response to shelling by Portuguese artillery),1971and finally in1972.
In 1980, Senghor decided to retire from politics. The next year, he transferred power in 1981 to his hand-picked successor,Abdou Diouf. Former prime ministerMamadou Dia, who was Senghor's rival, ran for election in 1983 against Diouf, but lost. Senghor moved to France, where he died at the age of 95.
In the 1980s,Boubacar Lamdiscovered Senegalese oral history that was initially compiled by theTuculornoble,Yoro Dyâo, not long afterWorld War I, which documented migrations into West Africa from theNile Valley; ethnic groups, from theSenegal Riverto theNiger Delta, retained traditions of having an eastern origin.
Senegal joined withThe Gambiato form the nominalSenegambia Confederationon 1 February 1982. However, the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group (Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamanceor MFDC) in theCasamanceregion has clashed sporadically with government forces since 1982 in theCasamance conflict. In the early 21st century, violence has subsided and PresidentMacky Sallheld talks with rebels in Rome in December 2012.
Abdou Diouf was president between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political participation, reduced government involvement in the economy, and widened Senegal's diplomatic engagements, particularly with other developing nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled over into street violence, border tensions, and a violent separatist movement in the southern region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal's commitment to democracy and human rights strengthened. Abdou Diouf served four terms as president.
During theGulf War, over 500 Senegalese participated in theBattle of Khafjiand the unexpectedLiberation of Kuwait campaign, under the command of the U.S.-led coalition.
In the presidential election of 1999, opposition leaderAbdoulaye Wadedefeated Diouf in an election deemed free and fair by international observers. Senegal experienced its secondpeaceful transition of power, and its first from one political party to another. On 30 December 2004 President Wade announced that he would sign a peace treaty with the separatist group in the Casamance region. This, however, has yet to be implemented. There was a round of talks in 2005, but the results have not yet yielded a resolution.
In March 2012, the incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade lost thepresidential electionandMacky Sallwas elected as the new President of Senegal.President Macky Sall was re-elected in2019 elections. The presidential term was reduced from seven years to five.
Since 3 March 2021, Senegal has been rocked by a series ofmass protestsin response to the arrest ofOusmane Sonkofor alleged rape and mishandling of theCOVID-19 pandemic. In June 2023, the response to the protests turned increasingly violent, with Amnesty International counting 23 fatalities, most of which were caused by bullets fired by police or armed police collaborators.
In March 2024, Opposition candidateBassirou Diomaye Fayewon the Senegal's presidentialelectionover candidate of the ruling coalition, becoming the youngest president in Senegal's history.In November 2024 Faye announced that France will withdraw its troops from Senegal and close its bases by the end of 2025.
Senegal is a republic with a presidency; the president iselectedevery five years as of 2016, previously being seven years from independence to 2001, five years from 2001 to 2008, and seven years again from 2008 to 2016, by adult voters. The first president,Léopold Sédar Senghor, was a poet and writer, and was the first African elected to theAcadémie française. Senegal's second president,Abdou Diouf, later served as general secretary of theOrganisation de la Francophonie. The third president wasAbdoulaye Wade, a lawyer. The fourth president wasMacky Sall, elected in March 2012 and reelected in February2019.On 25 March 2024,Bassirou Diomaye Fayebecame the fifth democratically elected president.
Senegal has more than 80 political parties. Theunicameralparliament consists of theNational Assembly, which has 150 seats (aSenatewas in place from 1999 to 2001 and 2007 to 2012).An independent judiciary also exists in Senegal. The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council and the court of justice, members of which are named by the president.
Currently, Senegal has a quasi-democratic political culture, one of the more successful post-colonial democratic transitions in Africa. Local administrators are appointed and held accountable by the president.Marabouts, religious leaders of the variousMuslim brotherhoods of Senegal, have also exercised a strong political influence in the country especially during Wade's presidency. In 2009,Freedom Housedowngraded Senegal's status from "Free" to "Partially Free", based on increased centralisation of power in the executive. By 2014, it had recovered its Free status.
In 2008, Senegal finished in 12th position on theIbrahim Index of African Governance.The Ibrahim Index is a comprehensive measure of African governance (limited tosub-Saharan Africauntil 2008), based on a number of different variables which reflect the success with which governments deliver essential political goods to their citizens. When the Northern African countries were added to the index in 2009, Senegal's 2008 position was retroactively downgraded to 15th place (with Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco placing ahead of Senegal). As of 2012, Senegal's Ibrahim Index rank has declined another point to 16th of 52 African countries.
On 22 February 2011, Senegal severed diplomatic ties withIran, saying it supplied rebels with weapons which killed Senegalese troops in theCasamance conflict.
The2012 presidential electionwas controversial due to President Wade's candidacy, as the opposition argued he should not be considered eligible to run again. Several youth opposition movements, including M23 andY'en a Marre, emerged in June 2011. In the end, Macky Sall of theAlliance for the Republicwon, and Wade conceded the election to Sall. This peaceful and democratic transition was hailed by many foreign observers, such as the EUas a show of "maturity".
On 19 September 2012, lawmakers voted to do away with the Senate to save an estimated $15 million.
In August 2017, the ruling party won a landslide victory in theparliamentary election. President Macky Sall's ruling coalition took 125 seats in the 165-seat National Assembly.In 2019 president Macky Sall easily wonre-electionin the first round.On 2 April 2024, his successor Bassirou Diomaye Faye was sworn in.
Senegal has been one of the signatories of the agreement to convene a convention for drafting aworld constitution.As a result, in 1968, for the first time in human history, aWorld Constituent Assemblyconvened to draft and adopt theConstitution for the Federation of Earth.Léopold Sédar Senghor, thenpresident of Senegalsigned the agreement to convene a World Constituent Assembly.
Senegal is subdivided into 14 regions,each administered by aConseil Régional(Regional Council) elected by population weight at theArrondissementlevel. The country is further subdivided by 45Départements, 113Arrondissements(neither of which have administrative function) and byCollectivités Locales, which elect administrative officers.
Regional capitals have the same name as their respective regions:
Senegal has a high profile in many international organizations and was a member of theUN Security Councilin 1988–89 and 2015–2016. It was elected to theUN Commission on Human Rightsin 1997. Friendly to the West, especially to the United States, Senegal has vigorously advocated for more assistance from developed countries to theThird World. TheForeign Minister of SenegalisAïssata Tall Sall. She took office in November 2020.
Historically, Senegal has been close to France, its former colonizer, but this had caused a great amount of tension with the people and was one of the reasons why former President Macky Sall lost support. Senegalese often complained that Sall was consistently giving French companies priority contracts to extract Senegal's natural resources rather than giving the contracts to whoever offered Senegal the best deal. They also believed France was pushing Macky Sall to run for an unconstitutional third term. After debating whether to run a third time for months, Sall did not.
Senegal enjoys mostly cordial relations with its neighbors. In spite of clear progress on other issues withMauritania(border security, resource management, economic integration, etc.), an estimated 35,000 Mauritanian refugees (of the estimated 40,000 who were expelled from their home country in 1989) remain in Senegal.Morocco–Senegalrelations have also been courteous, as the newBassirou Diomaye Fayeinvited the king of Morocco on his swearing ceremony in 2024.
Senegal is well integrated with the main bodies of the international community, including theEconomic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), theAfrican Union(AU), and theCommunity of Sahel–Saharan States.
Senegal is the 84th most peaceful country in the world, according to the 2024Global Peace Index.
TheArmed Forces of Senegalconsist of about 17,000 personnel in the army,air force, navy, and gendarmerie. The Senegalese military receives most of its training, equipment, and support from France and the United States, and to a lesser extent Germany.
Military non interference in political affairs has contributed to Senegal's stability since independence. Senegal has participated in many international and regional peacekeeping missions. Most recently, in 2000, Senegal sent a battalion to theDemocratic Republic of Congoto participate inMONUC, the United Nations peacekeeping mission, and agreed to deploy a US-trained battalion toSierra LeoneforUNAMSIL, another UN peacekeeping mission.
In 2015, Senegal participated in the Saudi Arabian-ledmilitary intervention in Yemenagainst theShiaHouthis.
Senegal is a secular state, as defined in itsConstitution.
To fight corruption, the government has created the National Anti-Corruption Office (OFNAC) and the Commission of Restitution and Recovery of Illegally Acquired Assets. According to Business Anti-Corruption Portal, President Sall created the OFNAC to replace the Commission Nationale de Lutte Contre la non-Transparence, la Corruption et la Concussion (CNLCC). It is said that the OFNAC represents a more effective tool for fighting corruption than the CNLCC established under former President Wade.The mission of OFNAC is to fight corruption, embezzlement of public funds and fraud. OFNAC has the power of self-referral (own initiative investigation). OFNAC is composed of twelve members appointed by decree.
Homosexualityis illegal in Senegal.According to 2013 survey by thePew Research Center, 96% of Senegalese believe that homosexuality should not be accepted by society.LGBTQ community members in Senegal report a strong feeling of being unsafe.
Senegal is located on the west of the African continent. It lies between latitudes12°and17°N, and longitudes11°and18°W.
Senegal is externally bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west,Mauritaniato the north,Malito the east, andGuineaandGuinea-Bissauto the south; internally it almost completely surroundsThe Gambia, namely on the north, east and south, except for Gambia's short Atlantic coastline.
The Senegalese landscape consists mainly of the rolling sandy plains of the westernSahelwhich rise to foothills in the southeast. Here is also found Senegal's highest point, Baunez ridge situated 2.7 km southeast ofNepen Diakhaat 648 m (2,126 ft).The northern border is formed by theSenegal River; other rivers include theGambiaandCasamance Rivers. The capital Dakar lies on theCap-Vertpeninsula, the westernmost point of continental Africa.
TheCape Verdeislands lie some 560 kilometres (350 mi) off the Senegalese coast, but Cap-Vert ("Cape Green") is a maritime placemark, set at the foot of "Les Mammelles", a 105-metre (344 ft) cliff resting at one end of the Cap-Vert peninsula onto which is settled Senegal's capital Dakar, and 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) south of the "Pointe des Almadies", the westernmost point in Africa.
Senegal contains four terrestrial ecoregions:Guinean forest-savanna mosaic,Sahelian Acacia savanna,West Sudanian savanna, andGuinean mangroves.It had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 7.11/10, ranking it 56th globally out of 172 countries.
Senegal has atropical climatewith pleasant heat throughout the year with well-defined dry and humid seasons that result from northeast winter winds and southwest summer winds. The dry season (December to April) is dominated by hot, dry,harmattanwind.Dakar's annual rainfall of about 600 mm (24 in) occurs between June and October when maximum temperatures average 30 °C (86.0 °F) and minimums 24.2 °C (75.6 °F); December to February maximum temperatures average 25.7 °C (78.3 °F) and minimums 18 °C (64.4 °F).
Interior temperatures are higher than along the coast (for example, average daily temperatures in Kaolack and Tambacounda for May are 30 °C (86.0 °F) and 32.7 °C (90.9 °F) respectively, compared to Dakar's 23.2 °C (73.8 °F) ),and rainfall increases substantially farther south, exceeding 1,500 mm (59.1 in) annually in some areas.
In Tambacounda in the far interior, particularly on the border of Mali where desert begins, temperatures can reach as high as 54 °C (129.2 °F). The northernmost part of the country is theLompoul desertthat has a nearhot desert climate, the central part has ahot semi-arid climateand the southernmost part has atropical wet and dry climate. Senegal is mainly a sunny and dry country.
Three trans-African automobile routes pass through Senegal:
The main industries includefood processing, mining, cement,artificial fertilizer,chemicals,textiles,refiningimported petroleum, andtourism. Exports include fish, chemicals, cotton, fabrics,groundnuts, andcalcium phosphate. The largest export markets as of 2020 areMali(20.4%), Switzerland (12.2%), and India (8.3%).
As a member of theWest African Economic and Monetary Union(WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified externaltariff. Senegal is also a member of theOrganization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa.
Senegal achieved full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a mini-boom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82 percent of its GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic high unemployment.
Senegal is a major recipient of international development assistance. Donors include theUnited States Agency for International Development(USAID), Japan, France and China. Over 4,000Peace CorpsVolunteers have served in Senegal since 1963.
Senegal has a 12-nautical-mile (22 km; 14 mi) exclusive fishing zone that has been regularly breached in recent years (as of 2014). It has been estimated that the country's fishermen lose 300,000 tonnes of fish each year toillegal fishing. The Senegalese government have tried to control the illegal fishing which is conducted byfishing trawlers, some of which are registered in Russia,Mauritania,Belizeand Ukraine. In January 2014, a Russian trawler,Oleg Naydenov, was seized by Senegalese authorities close to the maritime border withGuinea-Bissau.
Senegal has a population of around 18 million, about 42 percent of whom live in rural areas. Density in these areas varies from about 77 inhabitants per square kilometre (200/sq mi) in the west-central region to 2 per square kilometre (5.2/sq mi) in the arid eastern section.
Senegal ratified theConvention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, as well as the additional protocol. Senegal is also a signatory of the African Charter of Human and People's Rights, which was adopted during the 2003 African Union Summit. However, feminists have been critical of the government's lack of action in enforcing the protocols, conventions and other texts that have been signed as a means of protecting women's rights.
Senegal has a wide variety ofethnic groupsand, as in most West African countries, several languages are widely spoken. According to "CIA World Factbook:  Senegal" (2019 estimates), the ethnic groups areWolof(39%);Fula(probably including theHalpulaarspeakingToucouleur) (27.5%);Serer group(probably including theSerer Cangin peoples) (16%);Mandinka(4.9%);Jola(4.2%);Soninke(2.4%); other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent), and other minor ethnic groups like theBassari,Mauresor (Naarkajors).
There are also tens of thousands of Mauritanian refugees in Senegal, primarily in the country's north.
According to theWorld Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Senegal has a population ofrefugeesand asylum seekers numbering approximately 23,800 in 2007. The majority of this population (20,200) is from Mauritania. Refugees live in N'dioum, Dodel, and small settlements along theSenegal Rivervalley.
French is theofficial language, spoken by all those who have spent several years in the educational system, in which French is used as the medium of instruction (Koranic schools are also popular, but Arabic is less widely spoken outside of the context of recitation). Overall, speakers of French were estimated to make up 26% of the population in 2022.During the 15th century, many European territories started to engage in trade in Senegal. In the 19th century, France increased its colonial influence in Senegal and thus the number of French-speaking people multiplied continuously. French was ratified as the official language of Senegal in 1960 when the country achieved independence.
Most people also speak their own ethnic language while, especially in Dakar,Wolofis thelingua franca.Pulaaris spoken by the Fulas and Toucouleur. TheSerer languageis widely spoken by both Serers and non-Serers (including President Sall, whose wife is Serer); so are theCangin languages, whose speakers are ethnically Serers.Jola languagesare widely spoken in theCasamance. Overall Senegal is home to around 39 distinct languages. Several have the legal status of "national languages":Balanta-Ganja,Arabic,Jola-Fonyi,Mandinka,Mandjak,Mankanya,Noon(Serer-Noon),Pulaar, Serer,Soninke, and Wolof.
English is taught as aforeign languagein secondary schools and many graduate school programs, and it is the only subject matter that has a special office in the Ministry of Education.Dakar hosts a couple of Bilingual schools which offer 50% of their syllabus in English. The Senegalese American Bilingual School (SABS), Yavuz Selim, and The West African College of the Atlantic (WACA) train thousands of fluent English speakers in four-year programs. English is widely used by the scientific community and in business, including by theModou-Modou(illiterate, self-taught businessmen).
Portuguese Creole, locally known as Portuguese, is a prominent minority language inZiguinchor, regional capital of the Casamance, spoken by local Portuguese creoles and immigrants from Guinea-Bissau. The local Cape Verdean community speak a similar Portuguese creole,Cape Verdean Creole, and standard Portuguese. Portuguese was introduced in Senegal's secondary education in 1961 in Dakar by the country's first president,Léopold Sédar Senghor. It is currently available in most of Senegal and in higher education. It is especially prevalent in Casamance as it relates with the local cultural identity.
A variety of immigrant languages are spoken, such asBambara(70,000),Mooré(37,000),Kabuverdiano(34,000),Krio(6,100), Vietnamese (2,500), and Portuguese (1,700), mostly in Dakar.
While French is the sole official language, a rising Senegalese linguistic nationalist movement supports the integration of Wolof, the common vernacular language of the country, into the national constitution.
Senegalese regions of Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies and Ziguinchor are members of the International Association of Francophone regions.
Dakar, the capital, is by far the largest city in Senegal, with over two million residents.The second most populous city isTouba, ade jurecommunaute rurale(rural community), with over half a million people.
Senegal is a secular state.According to "CIA World Factbook: Senegal"Islamis the predominant religion in the country, practiced by 97.2% of the country's population; the Christian community, at 2.7% of the population, consists mostly ofRoman Catholicsbut there are also diverseevangelicalsdenominations. Less than one percent hasanimistbeliefs, particularly in the southeastern region of the country.SomeSerer peoplefollow theSerer religion.According to the Berkley Center,  "approximately 95 percent of the population is Muslim and the other five percent is primarily Christian or animist."Marloes Janson, of SOAS, University of London, and other scholars, posit that, in Senegal,Gambia, and many African countries where Islam is dominant, Muslim communities tend tosyncretiseIslam withTraditional African religions, leading to a distinctive "African Islam".
According to a 2012 Pew demographic study, 55% of the Muslims in Senegal areSunniof theMalikimadhhabwithSufiinfluences, whilst 27% arenon-denominational Muslims.Islamic communities in Senegal are generally organized around one of several Islamic Sufi orders calledtariqas, headed by akhalif(xaliifainWolof, from Arabickhalīfa), who is usually a direct descendant of the group's founder; the study found that 92% of Senegalese Muslims belonged to a Sufi order. The two largest and most prominent Sufi tariqas in Senegal are theTijaniyya, whose largest Senegalese sub-groups are based in the cities ofTivaouaneandKaolackand has broad following in West Africa outside of Senegal, and theMurīdiyya (Murid), who are based in the city ofToubaand has a follower base mostly limited to within Senegal.
TheHalpulaar(Pulaar-speakers), composed ofFula people, a widespread group found along the Sahel from Chad to Senegal, andToucouleurs, represent 23.8 percent of the population.Historically, they were the first to become Muslim. Many of theToucouleurs, or sedentary Halpulaar of the Senegal River Valley in the north, converted to Islam around a millennium ago and later contributed to Islam's propagation throughout Senegal. Success was gained among the Wolofs, but repulsed by the Serers.
Most communities south of the Senegal River Valley, however, were not thoroughlyIslamized. The Serer people stood out as one of this group, who spent over one thousand years resisting Islamization (seeSerer history). Although many Serers are Christians or Muslim, their conversion to Islam in particular is very recent and came of free will rather than by force, after forced conversion had been unsuccessfully tried centuries earlier (seeBattle of Fandane-Thiouthioune).
The spread of formal Quranic school (calleddaarain Wolof) during the colonial period increased largely through the effort of the Tidjâniyya. In Murid communities, which place more emphasis on the work ethic than on literary Quranic studies, the termdaaraoften applies to work groups devoted to working for a religious leader. Other Islamic groups include the much older Qādiriyya order and the SenegaleseLaayeenorder, which is prominent among the coastal Lebu. Today, most Senegalese children study atdaaras for several years, memorizing as much of the Qur'an as they can. Some of them continue their religious studies at councils (majlis) or at the growing number of private Arabic schools and publicly funded Franco-Arabic schools.
Small Catholic communities are mainly found in coastal Serer,Jola,Mankanyaand Balant populations, and in eastern Senegal among the Bassari and Coniagui. The Protestant churches are mainly attended by immigrants but during the second half of the 20th century Protestant churches led by Senegalese leaders from different ethnic groups have evolved. In Dakar Catholic and Protestant rites are practiced by the Lebanese, Cape Verdean, European, and American immigrant populations, and among certain Africans of other countries as well as by the Senegalese themselves. Although Islam is Senegal's majority religion, Senegal's first president,Léopold Sédar Senghor, was a Catholic Serer.
Serer religionencompasses a belief in a supreme deity calledRoog(Kooxamong theCangin),Serer cosmogony,cosmologyanddivinationceremonies such as the annualXooy(orKhoy) ceremony presided over by the SererSaltigues(high priests and priestesses).Senegambian(both Senegal andthe Gambia) Muslim festivals such asTobaski,Gamo,Koriteh,Weri Kor, etc.,are all borrowed words from the Serer religion.They were ancient Serer festivals rooted in Serer religion, not Islam.
TheBoukoutis one of the Jola's religious ceremonies.
There are a small number of members of the Bani Israel tribe in the Senegalese bush that claim Jewish ancestry, though this is disputed.TheMahayanabranch ofBuddhism in Senegalis followed by a very tiny portion of theexpatVietnamese community. TheBahá'í Faith in Senegalwas established after'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the religion, mentioned Africa as a place that should be more broadly visited by Bahá'ís.The first Bahá'is to set foot in the territory ofFrench West Africathat would become Senegal arrived in 1953.The first Bahá'íLocal Spiritual Assemblyof Senegal was elected in 1966 inDakar.In 1975 the Bahá'í community elected the firstNational Spiritual Assemblyof Senegal. The most recent estimate, by theAssociation of Religion Data Archivesin a 2005 report details the population of Senegalese Bahá'ís at 22,000.
Life expectancy at birth was estimated to be 66.8 years in 2016 (64.7 years male, 68.7 years female).Public expenditure on health was at 2.4 percent of the GDP in 2004, whereas private expenditure was at 3.5 percent.Health expenditure was at US$72 (PPP) per capita in 2004.The fertility rate ranged 5 to 5.3 between 2005 and 2013, with 4.1 in urban areas and 6.3 in rural areas, as official survey (6.4 in 1986 and 5.7 in 1997) point out.There were six physicians per 100,000 persons in the early 2000s (decade).Infant mortalityin Senegal was 157 per 1,000 live births in 1950., but since then it has declined five-fold to 32 per 1,000 in 2018.In the past five years infant mortality rates of malaria have dropped. According to a 2013 UNICEF report,26% of women in Senegal have undergonefemale genital mutilation.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic began in Senegal, which led to the imposition of a curfew in the country.
In July 2021, Senegal experienced a significant increase in cases of coronavirus disease.
In June 2021, Senegal's Agency for Universal Health launched sunucmu.com (SunuCMU), a website that the agency hopes will streamline health care in the country. The website is a part of the Minister of State Mohammad Abdallah Dionne's plan for digitalization. He aims to make Senegal's health care system effective and sustainable. Using SunuCMU, Senegal hopes to achieve 75 percent coverage within two years of the launch.
Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution adopted in January 2001 guarantee access to education for all children.Education is compulsory and free up to the age of 16.The Ministry of Labor has indicated that the public school system is unable to cope with the number of children that must enroll each year.Portuguese is taught at schools at the secondary high school level, given the large Cape Verdean community, and also from Guinea Bissau. There are sizeable Portuguese creole and standard Portuguese speaking communities in Zinguichor and Dakar.
Illiteracyis high, particularly among women.The net primary enrollment rate was 69 percent in 2005. Public expenditure on education was 5.4 percent of the 2002–2005 GDP. Senegal was ranked 92nd in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024.
Senegal is well known for the West African tradition of storytelling, which is done bygriots, who have kept West African history alive for thousands of years through words and music. Thegriotprofession is passed down generation to generation and requires years of training and apprenticeship in genealogy, history and music.Griotsgive voice to generations of West African society.
TheAfrican Renaissance Monumentbuilt in 2010 inDakaris thetallest statue in Africa. Dakar also hosts a film festival, Recidak.
The Islamic festival ofEid al-Adha, known locally as Tabaski, is popularly celebrated by Senegalese people. Despite being predominantly Muslim, the Christian festival of Christmas is also popularly observed, with Christmas trees and decorations lining up the city of Dakar.
Because Senegal borders the Atlantic Ocean,fishis very important.Chicken,lamb,peas,eggs, and beef are also used in Senegalese cooking, but not pork, due to the nation's largelyMuslimpopulation.Peanuts, the primary crop of Senegal, as well ascouscous,white rice,sweet potatoes,lentils,black-eyed peasand various vegetables, are also incorporated into many recipes. Meats and vegetables are typically stewed or marinated in herbs and spices, and then poured over rice or couscous, or eaten with bread.
Popular fresh juices are made frombissap,ginger,buoy(pronounced 'buoy', which is the fruit of thebaobabtree, also known as "monkey bread fruit"),mango, or other fruit or wild trees (most famouslysoursop, which is calledcorossolin French). Desserts are very rich and sweet, combining native ingredients with the extravagance and style characteristic of the French impact on Senegal's culinary methods. They are often served with fresh fruit and are traditionally followed by coffee or tea.
Senegal is known across Africa for its musical roots, due to the popularity ofmbalax, which originated from the Sererpercussivetradition especially theNjuup, it has been popularized byYoussou N'Dour,Omar Peneand others.Sabardrumming is especially popular. The sabar is mostly used in special celebrations such as weddings. Another instrument, thetama, is used in more ethnic groups. Other popular international renowned Senegalese musicians areIsmael Lô,Cheikh Lô,Orchestra Baobab,Baaba Maal,Akon(US-born),Thione Seck,Viviane, Fallou Dieng,Titi,Seckou KeitaandPape Diouf.
Hospitality, in theory, is given such importance in Senegalese culture that it is widely considered to be part of the national identity. The Wolofword for hospitality is "teranga" and it is so identified with the pride of Senegal that the national football team is known asLes Lions de la Téranga.
Senegalese play many sports.Wrestlingandfootballare the most popular sports in the country. Senegal will host the2026 Summer Youth OlympicsinDakar, making Senegal the first African country to host an Olympic event.
Senegalese wrestlingis the country's most popular sportand has become a national obsession.It traditionally serves many young men to escape poverty and it is the only sport recognized as developed independently of Western culture.
Football is a popular sport in Senegal. In2022the national team beatEgyptto win theAfrica Cup of Nationsfor the first time, and they were runners-up in2002and2019. They became one of only five African teams to ever reach the quarter-finals of theFIFA World Cup, afterCameroonin 1990 and beforeGhanain 2010, defeating holdersFrancein their first game in 2002. Senegal qualified for the2018 FIFA World Cupin Russia, and for the2022 FIFA World Cupin Qatar.
Senegal has traditionally been one of Africa's dominant basketball powers. Themen's teamperformed better than that of any other African nation at the2014 FIBA World Cup, where they reached the playoffs for the first time. Thewomen's teamwon 19 medals at 20African Championships, more than twice as many medals as any competitor. When the country hosted the2019 FIBA Women's AfroBasket, 15,000 fans flocked to theDakar Arenawhich is registered as a record attendance for basketball in Africa.Senegal was one of the continent's pioneers in basketball as it established one of Africa's first competitive leagues.
In 2016, theNBAannounced the launch of an Elite's Academy in Africa, and more precisely in Senegal.
The country hosted theParis–Dakar rallyfrom1979until2007. The Dakar Rally was an off-road endurance motorsport race which followed a course from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal. The competitors used off-road vehicles to cross the difficult geography. The last race was held in 2007, before the 2008 rally was canceled a day before the event due to security concerns inMauritania.TheOcean X-Prixof the electric off-road championshipExtreme Ewas also hosted in Senegal.
Wikimedia Atlas of Senegal
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