Facts about Senegal
Senegal sits at the western tip of Africa, where the Sahel meets the Atlantic. It is one of the few countries on the continent never to have had a coup, and its music, wrestling and teranga, the Wolof word for hospitality, are known far beyond its borders.
- Capital
- Dakar
- Population (2023 census)
- 18.1 million
- Area
- 196,722 km²
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Official language
- French
- Divisions
- 14 regions
- Highest point
- Near Népen Diakha, 648 m
Senegal · 0 of 20 rounds passed
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Senegal wraps around The Gambia, a thin country that follows the Gambia River into its middle and splits off the green south, the Casamance, from the rest. The Senegal River forms the northern border with Mauritania, and to the east lie Mali and Guinea. Most of the land is flat savanna, drier toward the north, and the country is divided into fourteen regions.
Dakar, on the Cap-Vert peninsula, is the capital and home to about a quarter of the population. Touba, the holy city of the Mouride brotherhood, is the second city, and Thiès, Kaolack and Saint-Louis follow. Most visitors start in Dakar and on Gorée island, then head north to the old colonial town of Saint-Louis, south along the beaches of the Petite Côte to the mangroves of the Saloum delta, or down to the Casamance.
Geography of Senegal
Senegal sits at the western tip of Africa, mostly flat savanna between the Senegal River in the north and the Casamance in the south. The Gambia reaches deep into its middle.
- How big is Senegal?
- About 196,700 km², a little smaller than Syria or the US state of South Dakota. It borders Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia.
- What is special about Cap-Vert?
- The peninsula Dakar stands on is the westernmost point of mainland Africa, at Pointe des Almadies.
- How does The Gambia fit inside Senegal?
- The Gambia follows the Gambia River about 300 kilometers inland and is surrounded by Senegal on every side but the sea. It almost cuts off the Casamance from the rest of the country.
- Where does Senegal get its name?
- From the Senegal River, which forms its northern border. The origin of the river’s name is disputed, and one theory links it to the Zenaga Berbers.
History of Senegal
Senegal was part of the great Sahel empires, then of the Wolof kingdoms, before France made Dakar the capital of French West Africa. It became independent in 1960.
- What was the Jolof empire?
- A Wolof state that ruled much of what is now Senegal from the 1300s until the mid-1500s, when its provinces broke away as separate kingdoms.
- What were the Four Communes?
- Saint-Louis, Gorée, Rufisque and Dakar, whose residents had French citizenship and elected a deputy to Paris. Blaise Diagne, elected in 1914, was the first Black African in the French parliament.
- When did Senegal become independent?
- In 1960. It first joined the Mali Federation with what is now Mali, which broke up after two months, and Senegal became independent on its own.
- Who was Léopold Sédar Senghor?
- A poet and the first president, from 1960 to 1980. He was a founder of the Négritude movement and the first African elected to the Académie française.
Languages of Senegal
French is the official language, but Wolof is spoken by most Senegalese. Pulaar, Serer, Jola and Mandinka are among the many other languages.
- What is the official language of Senegal?
- French, a legacy of colonial rule. It is used in government, the courts and most schools.
- How widely is Wolof spoken?
- It is the first language of about four in ten Senegalese and is understood by most of the rest. In Dakar it is the everyday language of almost everyone.
- What is teranga?
- The Wolof word for hospitality, a value Senegalese take great pride in. The national football team is nicknamed the Lions of Teranga.
- What is Ajami?
- The writing of African languages such as Wolof in Arabic script. It was used for poetry and religious writing long before the Latin alphabet.
Culture of Senegal
Senegal is known for mbalax music, wrestling and its Sufi brotherhoods. Hospitality and shared tea are part of daily life.
- What is mbalax?
- A dance music built on sabar drums and Wolof singing, made famous by Youssou N’Dour from the 1970s on.
- What is laamb?
- Senegalese wrestling, which allows punches and is surrounded by drumming and charms. Top wrestlers are among the biggest stars in the country.
- What is attaya?
- Strong green tea with mint and plenty of sugar, poured from high to make foam and served in three rounds, each sweeter than the last.
- Who are the Mourides?
- A Sufi brotherhood founded by Cheikh Amadou Bamba in the late 1800s, with its holy city at Touba. Its followers are known for their devotion to work.
Economy of Senegal
Fish, phosphates and gold are big exports, and oil and gas began flowing from offshore fields in 2024. Money from Senegalese abroad supports many families.
- What currency does Senegal use?
- The West African CFA franc, shared with seven other countries and pegged to the euro.
- When did Senegal start producing oil?
- In June 2024, from the offshore Sangomar field. Gas from a field shared with Mauritania followed.
- Why is fishing so important?
- Cold water rising off the coast makes the seas rich in fish, and hundreds of thousands of people work in fishing. Stocks have fallen under pressure from foreign fleets.
- What crop was Senegal built on?
- Groundnuts, or peanuts, grown across the center of the country since the colonial era. They are still a major crop.
Politics of Senegal
Senegal is a presidential republic that has never had a coup. Power has passed peacefully between parties three times.
- Who leads Senegal?
- An elected president, currently Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who won the March 2024 election in the first round. He appoints a prime minister.
- Has Senegal ever had a coup?
- No. It is one of the few countries in West Africa never to have been ruled by the military.
- How long can a president serve?
- Two terms of five years. The term was cut from seven years by a 2016 referendum.
- What happened in the 2024 election?
- President Macky Sall tried to postpone it, but the constitutional council overruled him. Faye, released from prison days before, won with 54 percent.
Nature of Senegal
Senegal’s wildlife is richest in the southeast, and its wetlands draw millions of migrating birds. Mangroves line the southern coast.
- What is Niokolo-Koba?
- A large national park in the southeast, crossed by the Gambia River. It is home to the country’s last lions and chimpanzees.
- What is the Djoudj sanctuary?
- A wetland on the Senegal River delta where millions of birds from Europe spend the winter, including great white pelicans and flamingos.
- Why is Lac Rose pink?
- Its water is very salty, and algae that thrive in it give it a pink color, strongest in the dry season. Workers gather salt from its bed by hand.
- What is the Great Green Wall?
- A project to restore a belt of land across the Sahel, from Senegal to Djibouti, to hold back the desert. Senegal has planted millions of trees for it.
Food of Senegal
Senegalese food is based on rice, fish and peanuts. Meals are eaten together from a shared bowl.
- What is thieboudienne?
- Fish and broken rice cooked in a tomato sauce with vegetables. It is the national dish and was added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in 2021.
- What is yassa?
- Chicken or fish marinated and cooked with lots of onions and lemon. It comes from the Casamance.
- What is mafé?
- A stew of meat in a thick peanut sauce, served over rice. Versions are eaten across West Africa.
- What is café Touba?
- Coffee roasted with grains of selim, a peppery spice, and sweetened. It is named after the holy city and sold across Dakar.
Landmarks of Senegal
Gorée island and Saint-Louis are the best-known historic sites. Dakar has a giant bronze monument, and Touba one of Africa’s largest mosques.
- What is the House of Slaves?
- A house on Gorée island, now a museum, with a Door of No Return facing the sea. It is a memorial to the Atlantic slave trade.
- What is the African Renaissance Monument?
- A bronze statue of a man, a woman and a child, 49 meters tall, on a hill in Dakar. It was unveiled in 2010.
- Why is Saint-Louis a World Heritage site?
- For its colonial town on an island in the Senegal River. Founded in 1659, it was the capital of Senegal until 1957.
- What are the Senegambian stone circles?
- More than a thousand circles of standing stones, set up over many centuries, along the Gambia River in Senegal and The Gambia.
People of Senegal
About 18 million people live in Senegal, and most are young. The Wolof are the largest of many ethnic groups.
- What are Senegal’s main ethnic groups?
- The Wolof, at about four in ten, followed by the Fula, the Serer, the Jola and the Mandinka.
- What religions do Senegalese follow?
- About 97 percent are Muslim, most of them members of a Sufi brotherhood. Most of the rest are Christian, many in the Casamance.
- How young is the population?
- The median age is under 20, and about four in ten Senegalese are under 15.
- Where do Senegalese live abroad?
- Mostly in France, Italy and Spain, and in neighboring African countries. The money they send home is a big part of the economy.