Senegal is a country in West Africa bordered by Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast, and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. It also has a coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The official language is French, although Wolof, Pulaar, and other languages are widely spoken. Dakar is the capital and largest city.

Senegal has a population of over 16 million people, with most of them living in urban areas. The country is known for its cultural diversity, music, and cuisine. Islam is the predominant religion, with over 95% of the population identifying as Muslim.

Senegal's economy is based on agriculture, with peanuts being the main crop. Fishing and phosphate mining also contribute to the economy. The country has made significant progress in developing its infrastructure, including a new international airport and a new bridge across the Senegal River.

Senegal has a long history of political stability and democratic governance. It is known for its commitment to peacekeeping and regional cooperation, as well as its role in promoting democracy and good governance on the African continent. The country is a member of the United Nations, the African Union, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Telephone Code
221

Local Emergency Phone
Local numbers only

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Senegal is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

Climate
Tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Currency (Code)
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, D, E, F

Major Languages
French, Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

Major Religions
Muslim 95.9% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 4.1% (mostly Roman Catholic)

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Goree Island; Dakar; Pink Lake; Cap Skirring; Petite Cote; Saloum Delta National Park

Major Sports
Soccer, wrestling, basketball, motor sports (off-road rally)

Cultural Practices
It is considered rude to let the bottom of one's foot or shoe point at someone.

Tipping Guidelines
Tipping is uncommon in restaurants and taxi cabs. For exceptional service, a tip is appropriate.

Souvenirs
Carved wooden statues and other items, tailored clothing, hand-painted fabric, woven baskets, copper sculptures, gold and silver filigree jewelry

Traditional Cuisine
Thieboudienne — a one-pot dish with fish, rice, and a variety of vegetables such as potatoes, cassava, squash, onions, cabbage, or carrots simmered in tomato sauce

Geography
Area
total: 196,722 sq km
land: 192,530 sq km
water: 4,192 sq km

Climate
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind

Natural resources
fish, phosphates, iron ore

People and Society
Population
18,384,660 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
Wolof 39.7%, Pular 27.5%, Serer 16%, Mandinka 4.9%, Jola 4.2%, Soninke 2.4%, other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2019 est.)

Languages
French (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

Religions
Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est.)

Population growth rate
2.52% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
presidential republic

Capital
name: Dakar

Economy
Economic overview
lower middle-income, services-driven West African economy; key mining, construction, agriculture, and fishing industries; tourism and exports hit hard by COVID-19; large informal economy; developing offshore oil and gas fields; systemic corruption

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$58.991 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$3,500 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
groundnuts, watermelons, rice, sugar cane, cassava, millet, maize, onions, sorghum, vegetables

Industries
agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair

Exports
$5.287 billion (2018 est.)

Exports - partners
Mali 22%, Switzerland 14%, India 9%, China 7% (2019)

Exports - commodities
gold, refined petroleum, phosphoric acid, fish, ground nuts (2019)

Imports
$8.96 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - partners
China 17%, France 11%, Belgium 7%, Russia 7%, Netherlands 7% (2019)

Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rice, cars, malt extract, clothing and apparel (2019)