Country Guide • Senegal

Flag of Senegal

Senegal is bordered by Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Mauritania and encloses the confederated state of The Gambia. To the west lies the Atlantic Ocean.

Official NameRepublic of Senegal
Area196,840km² (76,000mile²)
Population10,580,000
ContinentAfrica
Population per mile²140
Capital CityDakar
Religions94% Sunni Muslims, 5% Christians, predominantly Roman Catholic and 1% follow local native tribal beliefs.
LanguageFrench (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
GovernmentRepublic under multi-party democratic rule
CurrencyCfa Franc (Communaute Financiere Africaine Franc)
GDP$16.2 billion
GDP per Head$1,500
Natural ResourcesFish, phosphates, iron ore
Land UseArable Land 11.58%
AgricultureCorn, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, rice, tomatoes, green vegetables, cattle, poultry, pigs and fish
IndustryAgricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials
TourismSenegal has something for everyone and that perhaps explains why it is the most visited country in the region. It has top class hotels for the package holidaymaker, and for those on a budget or looking for something different there are the forests, deserts and choice of large cities to wander and explore including Dakar and St Louis
Natural HazardsLowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts, tornadoes occur at the beginning and end of the rainy season
Health RisksMalaria, bilharzia (schistosomiasis), cholera
ClimateSenegal has a tropical climate with a wet season from June - September and high humidity along the coast. Rainfall decreases from the south with the wet season extending to October and its average rainfall is 60 inches reducing to 20 inches in the east. The prevailing winds are the Harmattan in the dry season, which is a dust-laden wind from the Sahara Desert. Average temperature ranges in Dakar are from 18 to 26°C in January to 24 to 32°C in September
TimeGMT/UTC- No UTC/GMT offset
National DaysApril 4 - Independence Day
VisasVisas are required for all foreign nationals, except Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Africa, the UK and the US, who may visit for up to 90 days without a visa
British EmbassyEmbassy Details

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