Senegal Area Code

+221 is the dialing code for Senegal.

Senegal is the only state on the West African mainland that has never been ruled by military. Its first president after independence in 1960 was the poet Léopold Sédar Senghor, who was followed by other civil leaders. Multiparty democracy has existed since the early 1980s. In the Casamance region in the south, there has been a low-intensity separatist war for decades. Although Senegal is more developed than most of the neighboring countries, there is great poverty. The majority of the population is dependent on cultivation and fishing for their own use to cater for their livelihood.

  • Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Senegal, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.

Geography and climate

Senegal Area Code

Senegal is located in West Africa and is almost half the size of Sweden. The Cap Vert peninsula, where the capital Dakar is located, is the westernmost point of the African mainland. The small state of Gambia goes like a wedge straight in along the Gambia River, shielding the Casamance region to the south from the rest of Senegal.

The country’s longest river, the Senegal River, forms a border with Mauritania in the north, while its tributary Falémé partly forms a border with Mali in the east. To the south, the Casamance River flows through the fertile Casamance region bordering Guinea-Bissau.

Senegal is a flat lowland. The mountains that exist reach a maximum of almost 600 meters above sea level and are located on the border with Guinea in the southeast. Characteristic of the Senegal landscape are the large baobab trees, which are also a symbol of the state arms. The Atlantic coast consists mostly of sand.

Country Facts

Geography

Cultivated land 46.8 %
Land area 196722 km 2

Population and health

Population development 2.45 ‰
Urban population (Urbanization) 43.7 %
Death rate 8.46 per 1000 residents
Life expectancy: Women 63.42 years
Life expectancy: Men 59.29 years
Birth rate 34.52 births per 1000 residents
HDI index 0.466
Population 13975834
Infant mortality 51.54 deaths / 1000 births

Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com

Energy

Electricity, production 3148 million kWh
Energy consumption per resident 299.5 kg. oil per resident
Natural gas, production 46 million cubic meters

Infrastructure

Internet users 22.0 per 100 residents
Mobile subscriptions 105 per 100 residents
Passenger cars 22 per 1000 residents

Business and economics

Unemployment 48% of the workforce
GDP 2500 per resident
Primary occupations 78 %
Secondary profession 11 %
Tertiary professions 11 %

Most of the country lies in the often drought-stricken Sahel area, which is a wide belt of semi-deserts and savannas on the southern edge of the Sahara. At the far south, however, there is lush greenery and even rain forest inland.

The climate is varied in Senegal. In the northern part it is semi-dry and on the coast it can be relatively cool in winter. In the Casamance region in the south, it is significantly hotter and humid than in the rest of the country. The rainy season lasts the longest from June to October.

The hinterland also receives more rain and higher temperatures than the coastal regions. In Dakar it is often quite windy. The clearly defined dry and rainy periods are characterized by different winds: a northeastern winter wind and a southwestern summer wind.

FACTS – GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

Surface

196 722 km2 (2018)

Time

Swedish – 1 hour

Adjacent country (s)

Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau

Capital with number of residents

Dakar 3 million (including suburbs)

Other major cities

Touba, Guediawaye, Thiès, Kaolack, Mbour, Saint-Louis

Important rivers

Senegal, Casamance, Saloum

Average Precipitation / year

1250 mm in the south, 220 mm in the north

Average / day

Dakar 22 °C (Jan), 28 °C (Sept)

2017

November

Khalifa Sall loses immunity from prosecution

November 27th

Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall is deprived of his immunity from prosecution, which allows him to stand trial for embezzlement (see March 2017).

September

Ex-President Wade leaves the National Assembly

11 September

Former President Abdoulaye Wade leaves his seat in the National Assembly. The 91-year-old PDS politician says he only pitched in July to promote his party.

August

The government’s election victory is confirmed

5 August

The Election Commission announces the final result of the parliamentary elections and confirms that the ruling alliance Benno Bokk Yakaar wins by a good margin. BBY receives almost exactly half of the votes and 125 of Parliament’s 165 seats. Formally, the result must be approved by the Constitutional Court. The alliances led by former President Wade (Coalition Gagnante / Manko Wattu Sénégal) and Dakar’s Mayor Khalifa Sall (Manko Taxawu Senegaal) receive 19 and 7 seats, respectively. Khalifa Sall wins a seat in parliament, despite being in prison (see March 2017). In total, 14 parties are entering Parliament where, for the first time, Senegalese living abroad are represented by 15 members.

July

The government alliance claims great electoral victory

July 30

Before any official election results are presented, the ruling party alliance Benno Bokk Yakaar claims that it has won in all but three of the country’s 45 constituencies. Despite President Sall calling on the Election Commission to approve ordinary ID cards, hundreds of people complain that they did not get to vote because they lacked biometric credentials.

Choices with many options

July 30

The more than 6.2 million voting Senegalese have a record 47 candidate lists to choose from when they elect the 165 people to sit in Parliament in the coming years. For the first time, 15 places are reserved for the half a million Senegalese living abroad. Although Senegal has a tradition of being one of Africa’s most stable democracies, the electoral movement has been tense. At several elections, there have been violent acts that have ended with the police firing tear gas and arresting dozens of people.

Election rules are facilitated

July 26

Four days before the parliamentary elections, the Constitutional Court approves that passports or other ID cards may be used as identification documents in the polling stations, because the authorities have not been able to produce enough biometric ID cards. The decision is made at the request of President Sall but is met by protests from several opposition parties who fear that this will increase the risk of electoral fraud. Sall hopes that the election will strengthen his support in Parliament.

April

Final judgment against Habré

April 27

A special court in Dakar confirms the life sentence against Chad’s former dictator Hissène Habré who was convicted of war crimes, crimes against humanity and torture (see May 2016). Thus, Habré’s opportunity to appeal has been exhausted.

Thousands show their support for Khalifa Sall

April 7

Thousands of people gather in Dakar to demand the release of Mayor Khalifa Sall (see March 2017).

March

Dakar’s mayor is charged with corruption

March 8th

Dakar’s Mayor Khalifa Sall and five of his staff are arrested on charges of embezzling nearly $ 3 million in public funds. Sall, who belongs to the Socialist Party, is being prosecuted for fraud and money laundering. He himself denies that he has committed any crime and claims that the prosecution against him is politically motivated, and is because he is seen as an increasingly serious threat to President Macky Sall’s power position ahead of the 2019 presidential election. by challenging Macky Sall.

New friendship with Gambia is cemented

4th of March

President Sall receives Gambia’s new President Adam Barrow, who is making his first visit to Senegal since taking office as president of the neighboring country. The two heads of state announce that a “new era” has entered the countries’ relationship, which was sometimes strained under Barrow’s predecessor Jammeh. Agreements are signed for cooperation in tourism and defense.

January

Troops are sent to the Gambia

May 19th

A crisis in the Gambia where President Yahya Jammeh refuses to resign despite the loss of elections (see Gambia: Current Politics) leads to election winner Adam Barrow swearing the presidential speech at the Gambian embassy in Dakar. On the same day, soldiers cross the border, under the auspices of the regional cooperation organization Ecowa. The force consists of soldiers from Senegal and some other countries in the region. Before this pressure, Jammeh is forced to resign and Barrow is installed as president of the Gambia.

Greater parliamentary influence for Senegal’s diaspora

January 2

The National Assembly is voting to increase the number of seats from 150 to 165 in order to prepare more room for members who take care of the interests of Senegalese living abroad. The opposition voted no to the proposal, which they believe is just a waste of money. They intend to appeal the decision to the Constitutional Court.