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Scimitar oryx in Guembeul game reserve Senegal. The Sahara oryx, is a species of Oryx extinct in the wild since 2000, today, it is bred in captivity in special reserves in Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal.
Image: Ji-Elle

Flag of Senegal

Location map of Senegal

A virtual guide to Senegal, a country on the coast of West Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean in west. It is bordered by Mauritania along the Senegal River in north, by Mali in east, by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in south, and it encloses The Gambia, a narrow nation along both banks of the Gambia River. Senegal shares also maritime borders with the island country of Cape Verde in west.

Senegal lies within three climate zones, with a hot desert zone in north, a semi arid zone in center and a tropical savanna area in south. The country occupies an area of 196,722 km², this is about 1.5 times the size of Greece or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of South Dakota.

The country has a population of about 14.8 million people (in 2016); capital and largest city is Dakar. Spoken languages are French (official), Wolof, and other West African languages.

Republic of Senegal \| République du Sénégal	Country Profile
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. (Source: CIA - The World Factbook) related countries: France	Official Name: République du Sénégal conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal ISO Country Code: sn, SEN Actual Time: Thu-Oct-3 09:24 Local Time = UTC +0h Country Calling Code: +221 Capital City: Dakar Mairie de Dakar - the city of Dakar. Other Cities: Diourbel, Kolda, Kaolack, Louga, Saint-Louis, Thies, Tambacounda, Ziguinchor. Government: Type: Republic. Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France). Geography: Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. Area: 196,722 km² (76,000 sq. mi.) Terrain: Flat or rising to foothills. Climate: Tropical Sahelian desert or grasslands in the north, more vegetation in the south and southeast. People: Nationality: Senegalese (sing. and pl.) Population: 14.8 million (2016) Ethnic groups: Wolof 43%; Pular (Fulani, Peulh) and Toucouleur 23%; Serer 15%; Diola (Jola) 3.7%, Mandingo (Mandinka) 3%, Soninke 1.1%, and others 19%. Religions: Muslim 95%, Christian 4%, traditional 1%. Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Serer, Diola, Mandingo, Soninke. Literacy: 38%. Natural resources: Fish, peanuts, phosphate, iron ore, gold, titanium. Agriculture products: Peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish Industries: Agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials. Exports - commodities: fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton Exports partners: Mali 12.8%, Switzerland 9.7%, India 5.9%, Cote dIvoire 5.3%, China 5.1%, UAE 4.1%, France 4.1% (2015) Imports - commodities: food and beverages, capital goods, fuels Imports partners: France 17.9%, China 10%, Nigeria 8.7%, India 5.6%, Spain 4.9%, Netherlands 4.5% (2015) Currency: CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF)
Political system Senegal is a semi-presidential, democratic republic. The country's political system remains dominated by the office of the presidency. The President is chief of state, he is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system. Head of government is the prime minister, who is appointed by the president. Senegal has a mixed legal system, its judicial system is based on the French civil code and Senegalese Islamic law. According to Amnesty International, Senegal's authorities continued to restrict the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. Prisons remained overcrowded. Although several police officers were convicted of unlawful killings, impunity remained a concern. Men and women faced arrest because of their real or perceived sexual orientation. Note: External links will open in a new browser window. Official Sites of Senegal Senegal Gouvernement du Sénégal (in French). Diplomatic Missions Ambassade du Sénégal à Ottawa, Canada Embassy of Senegal - Ottawa, Canada. Ambassade de la République du Sénégal à Paris Embassy of Senegal - Paris, France. Weather Direction Nationale de la Météorologie Meteo Senegal (in French). Map Map of Senegal Political Map of Senegal. Administrative Map of Senegal Map of Senegal showing its administrative regions. Google Earth Senegal Searchable map/satellite view of Senegal. Google Earth Dakar Searchable map/satellite view of Senegal's capital city. Political Map of Africa The 54 countries of Africa. Map of Africa A Relief Map of Africa. View of Gorée, the island opposite Dakar is famous as a destination for people interested in the Atlantic slave trade. Today the Island of Gorée is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Image: Vincenzo

News

Senegal online news

L'Agence de Presse Sénégalaise
APS - Senegalese government press agency.

Le Quotidien
Senegal news (in French).
Le Soleil
Dakar - prominent main-stream daily (in French).
Le Senegal Online
Senegal magazine with news.
Seneweb
Senegal tabloid news (in French)
Sud Online
One of Senegal's top newspapers and radio stations (in French).
Wal Fadjri
Senegalese news magazine (in French).

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Arts & Culture Art, Culture & History of Senegal A page about Senengalese Art and Artisans, Cinema, Cuisine, Dance, Fashion, Literature, and Music. Cosaan: Senegalese Culture Site about general Senegalese culture, griots, and performing arts. Festival de Jazz de Saint-Louis du Sénégal Official site of the Saint Louis Jazz Festival.	Baobab trees, one of the symbols of Senegal

Business & Economy

Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO)
Central Bank of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.

Union Économique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)
West African Economic and Monetary Union (in French).

IZF.net, le portail de la Zone Franc CFA
Information about business and investment in the African countries within the monetary system of the Franc Zone - CFA. (in French)

Union Nationale des Chambres de Métiers
The national Chambers of Commerce.

Trade Point Senegal
Business and investment Senegal (in French)

__Transportation

Airline
Air Senegal
Air Sénégal International - part of Groupe Royal Air Maroc (in French).

Pointe des Almadies on Cap-Vert peninsula west of Dakar. The westernmost point of the African continent is within the private beach of the French vacation resort Club Med.
Image: Jeff Attaway

Travel and Tour Consumer Information

Destination Senegal - Travel and Tour Guides

Ministère du Tourisme et des Transports Aériens du Sénégal
Travel and tourism in Senegal.

Senegal Ministry of Tourism
With some travel and tourism information on Senegal (in French).

Au Sénégal
A Senegal travel and tourism guide.

Senego
Senegal portal site with Senegal related news and information on the country (in French)

The Republic of Sénégal
A resource for everything Sénégalese by Amadou Thiam a member of the Sénégalese Senate.

City Guides

Dakar
Dakar
Mairie de Dakar - a guide to the city of Dakar.

Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis
Official site of the city of Saint-Louis, Senegal.


Education Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE) About Senegal's Ecology by the Ministry of Environement (in French). L'Institut Pasteur de Dakar Pasteur Institut for medical Science, Dakar (in French). Université Cheikh Anta Diop Official site of the University, Dakar (in French). Université Gaston Berger Official site of the University, Saint-Louis (in French).


Environment - Environmental Organizations Senegal Comité Permanent Inter-Etats de Lutte contre la Sécheresse dans le Sahel (CILSS) Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (in French).


History Gorée Island Virtual Visit of Gorée Island and the House of Slaves. Histoire du Sénégal Brief history of Senegal (in French). Sénégal's History An abbreviated history of Sénégal: From pre-colonial to the present. La route de l'esclave - The Slave Route An UNESCO documentation about four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. (pdf format)	Indigenous district Saint-Louis © Centre Edmond Fortier


Sources and additional Information about Senegal Africa South of Sahara (Karen Fung) Senegal Amnesty International: Senegal BBC Country Profile: Senegal FAO: Senegal GlobalEDGE: Senegal The Heritage Foundation: Senegal Human Rights Watch: Senegal OEC: Senegal Reporters Without Borders: Senegal Wikipedia: Senegal The World Factbook -- Senegal

___ Senegal

Republic of Senegal | République du Sénégal

Country Profile

Official Sites of Senegal

News

Arts & Culture

Business & Economy

Destination Senegal - Travel and Tour Guides

Education

Environment - Environmental Organizations Senegal

History

Sources and additional Information about Senegal