Geography

Economics

Demographics

Military

Politics

Surface

Surface (in square kilometers)

Surface (in square miles)

Surface (water)

Water Surface (in square kilometers)

Water Surface (in square miles)

Share of water (%)

Temperature

Average temperature (in Celcius)

Average temperature (in Farenheit)

Average high temperature (in Celcius)

Average high temperature (in Farenheit)

Average low temperature (in Celcius)

Average low temperature (in Farenheit)

Rainfall

Average rainfall (mm)

Average rainfall (inch)

Distance to other capitals (kilometers)

Distance to other capitals (miles)

Proximity

Economic organizations

Gross Domestic Product (US$)

Gross Domestic Product per capita

Amount of memberships (economic organizations)

Absolute earnings for every 1$

Relative earnings

GDP in PPP per capita (in US$)

 

GDP in PPP per capita

Gross Domestic product (in million US$)

GDP per capita (in US$)

Surface GDP

GDP per square kilometer (in US$)

GDP per square mile(in US$)

Relative GDP in PPP

Population

Population density

Emigration

Immigration

Literacy

Health

Population density (in km2)

Population density (in mi2)

Religion

Christianity (share of the total population)

Islam (share of the total population)

Buddhism (share of the total population)

Hinduism (share of the total population)

Judaism (share of the total population)

Other religions (share of the total population)

Non-religious (share of the total population)

Military spending (in % of GDP)

Military spending

In total, Senegal spends US$349 million on its military, or 1.4 percent of its GDP. This makes Senegal the 109th highest military spender in the world and represents 0.00018 percent of total global military expenditure.

The Army of Senegal, called the Senegalese Armed Forces, consists of an army, and Navy and an air force. The Army of Senegal generally does not interfere in other states with the exception of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  

Military membership

Senegal is also a member of 6 international military organizations. This makes it the 58th most militarily connected state in the world. These are: 

  • South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone 
  • Conference on Disarmament 
  • Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons 
  • Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 
  • International Atomic Energy Agency 
  • Non-Aligned Movement 

Military membership

International wars

Senegal has partaken in 2 international wars. These are: 

  • Mauritania–Senegal Border War 1989-1991 
  • Guinea-Bissau Civil War 1998-1999 

Number of international wars fought

Military spending (in US$ million)

Membership (international political organizations)

In total, Senegal is a member of 12 international political organizations. This makes it the 95th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Member state of the United Nations 
  • International Labour Organization 
  • Asian–African Legal Consultative Organization 
  • African Union 
  • International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property 
  • Member states of the Organization internationale de la Francophonie 
  • Organization of Islamic Cooperation 
  • International Criminal Court 

Political Membership

Democracy/dictatorship rating

It is ranked as the 60th most democratic state in the world due to its peaceful transition of power as well as a high freedom of the press. Some challenges to its democracy are government corruption as well as limitations for the rights of women. 

Democracy/Dictatorship

The politics of Senegal take place in the form of a multiparty republic where the president is head of State as well as the head of government. Its elections take place every five years and has seen peaceful transitions of power since its independence in 1960. 

  • Interpol 

  • Global Green Growth Institute 

  • Association of World Election Bodies 

  • World Organization for Animal Health 

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Senegal 

Known for being the most Western state of continental Africa as well as being named after its river, Senegal, the Republic of Senegal has had a long colonial history. Before coming into contact with the Europeans, Senegal was inhabited by the Wolof people that mainly lived an agricultural lifestyle. Its first contact with the Europeans was with Portuguese explorers which established a trading post in the 15th century. Throughout the 16th and 17th century, the area was used for the African slave trade by the Dutch and the French. In the second half of the 18th century, the British took control over the area until they ceded the territory back to France at the start of the 19th century. During the period of decolonization, Senegal became part of the French Union until its independence in 1960 when, together with Mali, it formed the Mali Federation. This Federation lasted for a few months when Senegal became an independent republic. Since then, it has seen a coup attempt as well as an attempt to integrate Gambia into its territory by political means which was abolished at the end of the 20th century. At the start of the 21st century, it established a peace treaty with its southern province which resulted in political and economic prosperity.

 Located in Western Africa, the geography of Senegal mainly consists of flat plains with the exception of low-lying hills along its eastern border. Because of its location, it has three different climate zones with an arid desert zone to the north, which is located in the Sahara Desert, a central semi-arid zone which is sparsely forested and a southern part which is densely forested. In total, Senegal borders five other states with Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south and the Gambia which runs from its western coast on the Atlantic Ocean through its center. 

It is the 86th largest state with a total, surface area of 197.706 square kilometers or 76.335 square miles. This makes Senegal slightly smaller than Syria and slightly larger than Kyrgyzstan. 

It has a total water surface area of 4.213 square kilometers or 1.627 square miles. This makes Senegal the 73rd largest state in the world. 

 

Below, a graph is shown which displays the absolute amount of water of each state in square kilometers and square miles.

The main source of water is surface water which is derived from several rivers with the Senegal and Gambia River being the largest. Most of its tap water has limited treatment and is considered unsafe to drink. 

The climate of Senegal is a tropical climate with warm or extremely hot temperatures and is characterized by a wet season and a dry season. The average temperature is 27.6 degrees Celsius or 82 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes Senegal the 8th warmest state in the world. 

The average high temperature is 32.9 degrees Celsius or 91 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The average low temperature is 21.3 degrees Celsius or 70.3 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Rain occurs during the wet season between June and September and mainly occurs in the southern and coastal regions of Senegal. On average, Senegal receives 63.4 centimetres or 25 inches of rainfall per year which ranks it as the 141st highest in the world. 

The capital of Senegal, Dakar, is home to roughly 2.2 million people. The closest capital is Banjul, Gambia, with a distance of 147 kilometers or 91 miles. The capital that is the furthest removed is Port Vila, Vanuatu, with a distance of 19.370 kilometers or 12.036 miles.  

The economy of Senegal is an underdeveloped economy which is largely based on agriculture as well as the extraction of raw materials. Its economy is currently not self-sustainable and relies on the help of foreign aid by several organizations. In recent decades, Senegal has started to invest in tourism which has attracted a low number of tourists. Most of its exported goods are gold, fish and peanuts which are mainly exported to Mali and Switzerland which combined represent more than 35 percent of all exports. Most of its imports comes from China and France which combined make up more than 25 percent of all imports. 

Senegal is a member of 17 international economic organizations. This makes it the 30th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations: 

  • Alliance for Financial Inclusion 
  • African development Bank 
  • International Development Law Organization 
  • International Monetary Fund 
  • Islamic Development Bank 
  • West African Development Bank 
  • World Bank Group 
  • World Customs Organization 
  • World Trade Organization 
  • International Bamboo and Rattan Organization
  • Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States 
  • Economic Community of West African States 
  • International Renewable Energy Agency 
  • International Solar Alliance 
  • Group of 15 
  • Group of 77 
  • Advisory Centre on World Trade Organization Law 

It has a GDP of US$23.180 million, which makes it the 114th highest in the world and represents 0.0027 percent of total global GDP.  

Its GDP per surface area is the 141st highest in the world with US$117.247 per square kilometer or US$303.666 per square mile.  

Its GDP per capita is the 156th highest in the world with US$1419. 

The absolute earnings (GDP per capita) reflect the average yearly income. The figure below shows how much, on average, an inhabitant of another state earns for every $1 earned by a citizen of this state.

Its purchasing power parity per capita is the 160th highest in the world with US$3236. 

The relative Gross Domestic Product in Purchasing Power Parity compares the purchasing power of this state with that of the rest of the world. The graph on the left shows how much purchasing power of 1$ compared to the purchasing power of other states

With a total population of 16.3 million people, Senegal is ranked as the 70th most populous state in the world. The largest population are the Wolof people which represent around 40 percent of the total population. Other large populations are the Tukulor and Serer people which combined represent 30 percent of the population. The remaining population consists of smaller African tribes. Despite having many African languages, it only has French as its official language. 

It has the 99th highest population density in the world with 82 people per square kilometer or 213 people per square mile.  

Around four percent of the population, or nearly 650,000 people have migrated to other states.  This makes Senegal the 97th state with the highest number of emigrants and represents 0.26 percent of total global emigration. The main destinations have been European states with France Italy and Spain receiving roughly half of all migrants. The main reason for migration has been economic due to a high unemployment rate within Senegal. 

Immigration to Senegal is represented by 1.2 percent of the population, or nearly 200,000 people. This makes it the 87th state with the highest number of immigrants and represents 0.08 percent of total global immigration. Despite having a limited immigration policy, due to its permeable borders it is prone to high amounts of illegal immigration. The largest supplier of migrants to Senegal has been Mauritania and Guinea which represent 50 percent of all migrants. 

Education is free and compulsory until the age of 16. However, this policy is rarely enforced, and school attendance has been severely low among children. Aside from this, a limited number of resources has been allocated to education by the government of Senegal which limits further development. Senegal currently has the 179th highest literacy rate in the world which stands at 54.2 percent. 

The health care system of Senegal is an underdeveloped health care system which struggles on many fronts. Due to its low subsidies, and inefficient spending, its health care system is severely limited in its development. Other factors that contributed to this underdevelopment are large health demands due to malnutrition as well as a high prevalence of communicable diseases such as malaria and HIV AIDS. The average life expectancy is 68.89 years which is the 103rd highest in the world. Women have an average life expectancy of 70.88 years, while men have an average life expectancy of 66.6 years. 

Despite being predominantly Muslim, the state of Senegal does not have an official religion. 

Christianity is represented by 3.7 percent of the population which makes it the 166th most Christian state in the world. The largest denomination is Catholicism which has been introduced by Portuguese and French missionaries. Later on, during the 20th century, Protestantism also started to spread which is the second largest denomination. 

 

Senegal is the 23rd most Islamic state in the world with a total of 94.8 percent of its population adhering to Islam. The largest denomination has been the Sunni branch of Islam with Sufism being the largest subbranch. Islam has been introduced during the 11th century as a result of the Arab conquest and with the conversion of local kings, it has become the largest religion by the end of the 13th century. 

Buddhism is represented by 0.13 percent of the population and mainly consists of Vietnamese immigrants. 

Hinduism has been mainly practiced by migrants from India and represents 0.03 percent of the population. 

There are no official Jewish organizations in Senegal. 

Other religions represent one percent of the population and are mainly related to traditional African religions that can be found in a portion of the Serer population as well as the Jola people. 

Irreligion is represented by 0.1 percent of the population.