Senegal

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 153,813 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

Senegal s media environment includes over 25 private television stations, hundreds of radio stations, and more than 45 newspapers. State-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) broadcasts from five cities in Senegal and a wide range of independent TV programming is available via satellite; transmissions of several international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar

Internet country code

.sn

Internet users

total: 9.86 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 58% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Senegal s telecom market continues to show steady growth in all sectors; this has been supported by the particular demands made on consumers during the pandemic, which resulted in a particularly strong increase in the number of subscribers; the mobile subscriber base increased 6.7% in 2020, year-on-year, and by 4.1% in 2021, while the number of fixed broadband subscribers increased 17.5% year-on-year in 2021; mobile internet platforms account for the vast majority of all internet accesses; quality of service issues continue to plague the market, with the regulator periodically issuing fines to the market players (2022) domestic: fixed-line is 2 per 100 and mobile-cellular 118 per 100 persons (2021) international: country code - 221; landing points for the ACE, Atlantis-2, MainOne and SAT-3/WASC submarine cables providing connectivity from South Africa, numerous western African countries, Europe and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 297,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 20.855 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.)

Agricultural products

groundnuts, watermelons, rice, cassava, sugarcane, millet, maize, onions, sorghum, milk (2022) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $6.423 billion (2022 est.) expenditures: $6.424 billion (2022 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Credit ratings

Moody's rating: Ba3 (2017) Standard & Poors rating: B+ (2000) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

-$3.327 billion (2021 est.) -$2.662 billion (2020 est.) -$1.898 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$12.652 billion (2022 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

lower middle-income, services-driven West African economy; key mining, construction, agriculture, and fishing industries; tourism and exports hit hard by COVID-19; large informal economy; developing offshore oil and gas fields; systemic corruption

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.) 585.911 (2019 est.)

Exports

$6.78 billion (2021 est.) $5.063 billion (2020 est.) $5.836 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, phosphoric acid, refined petroleum, fish, precious metal products (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Mali 18%, India 16%, Switzerland 11%, US 8%, China 4% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$31.014 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 55.9% (2023 est.) government consumption: 14.7% (2023 est.) investment in fixed capital: 38.4% (2023 est.) investment in inventories: 9% (2023 est.) exports of goods and services: 25.6% (2023 est.) imports of goods and services: -43.9% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 16.4% (2023 est.) industry: 23.7% (2023 est.) services: 50.8% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

36.2 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 28.8% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

$12.278 billion (2021 est.) $9.627 billion (2020 est.) $9.17 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, rice, crude petroleum, plastic products (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 22%, India 8%, France 7%, Belgium 5%, Netherlands 4% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

2.9% (2023 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.7% (2022 est.) 2.18% (2021 est.) 2.54% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

5.257 million (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

48.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$77.382 billion (2023 est.) $74.621 billion (2022 est.) $71.874 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

3.7% (2023 est.) 3.82% (2022 est.) 6.54% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$4,400 (2023 est.) $4,300 (2022 est.) $4,300 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

9.47% of GDP (2023 est.) 10.89% of GDP (2022 est.) 11.25% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.827 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $116.9 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.7% (of GDP) (2022 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

2.93% (2023 est.) 2.97% (2022 est.) 3.37% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 4.1% (2023 est.) male: 2.9% (2023 est.) female: 6.7% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Carbon dioxide emissions

9.152 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.134 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 7.926 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from consumed natural gas: 92,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption: 502,000 metric tons (2022 est.) imports: 502,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 1.668 million kW (2022 est.) consumption: 7.025 billion kWh (2022 est.) imports: 326.425 million kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.057 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 67.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 96.6% electrification - rural areas: 43.4%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 74.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 10.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 9.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) hydroelectricity: 4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) biomass and waste: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

7.836 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

production: 54.646 million cubic meters (2022 est.) consumption: 54.498 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 55,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 38.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 10.9 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 11.74 megatons (2020 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Environment - current issues

deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; periodic droughts; seasonal flooding; overfishing; weak environmental protective laws; wildlife populations threatened by poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity: due to localized shortfalls in cereal production and reduced incomes - the latest analysis indicates that about 1.26 million people are projected to be acutely food insecure during the June to August 2023 lean season; this would be a significant deterioration compared to the previous year; the main drivers of acute food insecurity are macroeconomic challenges and high prices of basic food items (2023)

Land use

agricultural land: 46.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 17.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2018 est.) forest: 43.8% (2018 est.) other: 9.4% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, and Mauritania [m] ) - 1,641 km; Gambie (Gambia) (shared with Guinea [s] and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

1.46% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

38.97 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 260 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 58 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 2.76 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,454,059 tons (2016 est.)

Area

total : 196,722 sq km land: 192,530 sq km water: 4,192 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Dakota; slightly larger than twice the size of Indiana

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Coastline

531 km

Elevation

highest point: unnamed elevation 2.8 km southeast of Nepen Diaka 648 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 69 m

Geographic coordinates

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Geography - note

westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

Irrigated land

1,200 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 2,684 km border countries (5): The Gambia 749 km; Guinea 363 km; Guinea-Bissau 341 km; Mali 489 km; Mauritania 742 km

Land use

agricultural land: 46.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 17.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2018 est.) forest: 43.8% (2018 est.) other: 9.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Mali, and Mauritania [m] ) - 1,641 km; Gambie (Gambia) (shared with Guinea [s] and The Gambia [m]) - 1,094 km note [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Natural hazards

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Natural resources

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Population distribution

the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Administrative divisions

14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, K edougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor

Capital

name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, D.C., during Standard Time) etymology: the Atlantic coast trading settlement of Ndakaaru came to be called "Dakar" by French colonialists

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal dual citizenship recognized: no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: previous 1959 (pre-independence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires Assembly approval and approval in a referendum; the president can bypass a referendum and submit an amendment directly to the Assembly, which requires at least three-fifths majority vote; the republican form of government is not amendable; amended several times, last in 2019

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: R publique du S n gal local short form: S n gal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation etymology: named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; many theories exist for the origin of the river name; perhaps the most widely cited derives the name from "Azenegue," the Portuguese appellation for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RAYNOR (since 10 March 2022); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau embassy: Route des Almadies, Dakar mailing address: 2130 Dakar Place, Washington D.C. 20521-2130 telephone: [221] 33-879-4000 email address and website: DakarACS@state.gov https://sn.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires Isidor Marcel SENE (since 31 August 2024) chancery: 2215 M ST NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 629-2961 email address and website: contact@ambasenegal-us.org http://www.ambasenegal-us.org/index.php consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane SONKO (since 2 April 2024) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single, renewable 5-year term; election last held on 24 March 2024 (next to be held in March 2029) election results: 2024: Bassirou Diomaye FAYE elected president in first round; percent of vote - Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (PASTEF) 54%, Amadou BA (APR) 36%, other 10% 2019: Macky SALL reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7%, other 5.5%

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; green represents Islam, progress, and hope; yellow signifies natural wealth and progress; red symbolizes sacrifice and determination; the star denotes unity and hope note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Mali and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supr me (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (consists of 7 members, including the court president, vice president, and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon recommendation of the Superior Council of the Magistrates, a body chaired by the president and minister of justice; judge tenure varies, with mandatory retirement either at 65 or 68 years; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the president and 2 by the National Assembly speaker; judges serve 6-year terms, with renewal of 2 members every 2 years subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (for crimes of high treason by the president); Courts of Appeal; Court of Auditors; assize courts; regional and district courts; Labor Court

Legal system

civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Council

Legislative branch

description: unicameral National Assembly or Assembl e Nationale (165 seats; 112 members including 15 representing Senegalese diaspora directly elected by plurality vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies and 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote in a single nationwide constituency; member term is 5-years) elections: last held on 31 July 2022 (next scheduled to be held in July 2027) election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - BBY 46.6%, YAW 32.9%, WS 14.5%, other 6%; seats by party/coalition - BBY 82, YAW 42, WS 24, other 17; composition - men 89, women 76, percentage women 46.1%

National anthem

name: "Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons) lyrics/music: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER note: adopted 1960; lyrics written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal's first president; the anthem sometimes played incorporating the Koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and Balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 7 (5 cultural, 2 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Island of Gor e (c); Niokolo-Koba National Park (n); Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (n); Island of Saint-Louis (c); Stone Circles of Senegambia (c); Saloum Delta (c); Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula, and Bedik Cultural Landscapes (c)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties

Alliance for Citizenship and Work or ACT Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP AND (National Alliance for Democracy) And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS ARC (Alternative for the next generation of citizens) Awal Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope); coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP Bokk Gis Gis coalition Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk Coalition Mimi 2024 Dare the Future movement Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT Democratic Renaissance Congress Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ Gainde Centrist Bloc or BCG General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR Grand Party or GP Gueum sa Bopp (Believe in yourself) Independence and Labor Party or PIT Jotna Coalition Liberate the People (Yewwi Askan Wi) or YAW Madicke 2019 coalition National Union for the People or UNP Only Senegal Movement Party for Truth and Development or PVD Party of Unity and Rally or PUR Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi PRP (Republican party for Progress) Rewmi Party Save Senegal (Wallu Senegal Grand Coalition) or WS; coalition includes PDS, Jotna Coalition, Democratic Renaissance Congress Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS Socialist Party or PS Tekki Movement R ewum Ngor (Republic of Values) Servants (Les Serviteurs)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Senegal is one of the few countries in the world with evidence of continuous human life from the Paleolithic period to present. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Jolof Empire ruled most of Senegal. Starting in the 15th century, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain traded along the Senegalese coast. Senegal s location on the western tip of Africa made it a favorable base for the European slave trade. European powers used the Senegalese island of Goree as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland, and at the height of the slave trade in Senegal, over one-third of the Senegalese population was enslaved. In 1815, France abolished slavery and began expanding inland. During the second half of the 19th century, France took possession of Senegal as a French colony. In 1959, the French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. The union broke up after only a few months. In 1982, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never implemented, and the union dissolved in 1989. Since the 1980s, the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance -- a separatist movement based in southern Senegal -- has led a low-level insurgency. Several attempts at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement have failed. Since 2012, despite sporadic incidents of violence, an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect. Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. The Socialist Party of Senegal ruled for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2007. WADE amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and weaken the opposition. In 2012, WADE s decision to run for a third presidential term sparked public backlash that led to his loss to current President Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum limited future presidents to two consecutive five-year terms. President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE took office in April 2024.

Military - note

despite limited resources, the Senegalese military is considered to be a well-equipped, experienced, and effective force; the military has a tradition of non-interference in the country s political process and positive relations with civil authorities; it participates in foreign deployments and multinational exercises and has received assistance from France, which maintains a military presence in the country, as well as Germany, Spain, the UK, and the US; the military s primary focuses are border, internal, and maritime security; it also works with the civilian government in areas such as preventive healthcare, infrastructure development, environmental protection, and disaster response Senegal's security concerns include the prevalence of multiple active terrorist groups across the region and political instability in neighboring Mali and Guinea; Senegal has recently established new military and gendarmerie camps along its eastern border with Mali Senegalese security forces have been engaged in a low-level counterinsurgency campaign in the southern Casamance region against various factions of the separatist Movement of Democratic Forces of the Casamance (MDFC) since 1982; the conflict is one of longest running low-level insurgencies in the World, having claimed more than 5,000 lives while leaving another 60,000 displaced; in May 2023, a faction of the MFDC agreed to a peace deal (2024)

Military and security forces

Senegalese Armed Forces (les Forces Arm es S n galaises, FAS): Army (l Arm e de Terre, AT), Senegalese National Navy (Marine S en egalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (l'Arm ee de l'Air du S en egal, AAS), National Gendarmerie (includes Territorial and Mobile components) Ministry of Interior: National Police (2024) note: the National Police operates in major cities, while the Gendarmerie under the FAS primarily operates outside urban areas; both services have specialized anti-terrorism units

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 27,000 active personnel (15,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air Force; 16,000 National Gendarmerie); 15,000 National Police (2023)

Military deployments

200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA; plus about 525 police); 800 (ECOWAS Military Intervention in The Gambia--ECOMIG); 500 (ECOWAS Stabilization Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau--EESMGB); 450 police Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of older, secondhand, and more modern equipment from a variety of countries, including France, South Africa, and Russia/former Soviet Union; in recent years, the military has undertaken a modernization program and has received newer equipment from more than 10 countries, including France and the US (2024)

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2021 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military service age and obligation

19 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18 years of age for cadets); 24-month service commitment (2024)

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.7% (male 3,907,986/female 3,760,594) 15-64 years: 55.9% (male 5,098,038/female 5,437,195) 65 years and over: 3.4% (2024 est.) (male 277,290/female 366,416)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.25 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

30.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 8.8% women married by age 18: 30.5% men married by age 18: 0.7% (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.4% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

26.9% (2019)

Current health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

65.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal s high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country s large youth cohort more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country s high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged. Senegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country s economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants).

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 81.5 youth dependency ratio: 75.8 elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 potential support ratio: 17.4 (2021 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 95.9% of population rural: 79.3% of population total: 87.3% of population unimproved: urban: 4.1% of population rural: 20.7% of population total: 12.7% of population (2020 est.)

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Wolof 39.7%, Pulaar 27.5%, Sereer 16%, Mandinka 4.9%, Jola 4.2%, Soninke 2.4%, other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2019 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.98 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 31.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 34.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 27.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.6 years (2024 est.) male: 68.8 years female: 72.4 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.3% male: 68.4% female: 45.4% (2021)

Major urban areas - population

3.340 million DAKAR (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

261 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 19.2 years (2024 est.) male: 18.4 years female: 20 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9 years (2019 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese

Net migration rate

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.8% (2016)

Physician density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

total: 18,847,519 male: 9,283,314 female: 9,564,205 (2024 est.)

Population distribution

the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.46% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 94.1% of population rural: 55.5% of population total: 74.1% of population unimproved: urban: 5.9% of population rural: 44.5% of population total: 25.9% of population (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years male: 8 years female: 10 years (2021)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 6.9% (2020 est.) male: 13.1% (2020 est.) female: 0.7% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.06 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Space agency/agencies

Senegalese Space Study Agency (Agence S n galaise d'Etudes Spatiales or ASES; launched in 2023 under the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation) (2024)

Space program overview

small, nascent program focused on acquiring satellites, largely for socio-economic development and research; conducts research in such fields as astronomy and planetary sciences; has cooperated with the European Space Agency, and the space agencies of China, France, Turkey, and the US (2024)

Terrorist group(s)

Jama at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)

Illicit drugs

a transit point on the cocaine route from South America to Europe; large production of cannabis in southern Casamance region; the high domestic use of cannabis, ecstasy, and to a lesser extent crack cocaine

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 11,518 (Mauritania) (2023) IDPs: 8,400 (2022)

Airports

19 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

6V

Merchant marine

total: 36 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 30

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 21,038 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 40,000 (2018) mt-km

Pipelines

43 km gas, 8 km refined products (2017)

Ports

total ports: 6 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 4 ports with oil terminals: 4 key ports: Dakar, Karabane, Lyndiane, M'bao Oil Terminal, Rufisque, St. Louis

Railways

total: 906 km (2017) (713 km operational in 2017) narrow gauge: 906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

total: 16,665 km paved: 6,126 km (includes 241 km of expressways) unpaved: 10,539 km (2017)

Waterways

1,000 km (2012) (primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance Rivers)