Senegal lies on West Africa’s Atlantic coast. One of the first multiparty democracies in today’s Africa, this river-laced land of marshes and plains was once ruled by Wolof chieftains. Three centuries of French administration ended in 1960. The moderate socialist government has initiated economic reforms. A deep natural harbor at Dakar makes the cosmopolitan city a major West African port. Peanuts from the drought-prone interior are an important export.
Fast Facts
- Population:
- 11,658,000
- Capital:
- Dakar; 2,167,000
- Area:
- 196,722 square kilometers (75,955 square miles)
- Language:
- French, Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Jola, Mandinka
- Religion:
- Muslim, Christian
- Currency:
- CFA franc
- Life Expectancy:
- 53
- GDP per Capita:
- U.S. $1,500
- Literacy Percent:
- 40
ECONOMY
- Industry: Agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining
- Agriculture: Peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum; cattle; fish
- Exports: Fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
Source: The National Geographic
RELATED STORIES
CIA- The World Factbook
