Senegal
country on the coast of West Africa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Republic of Senegal (French République da Sénégal) is a country in West Africa. The capital is Dakar. Senegal covers a land area of almost 197,000 square kilometres. It has population of about 18 million. The climate is tropical with two seasons: the dry season and the rainy cold season. Senegal was given independence by France in 1960.
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Major industries are fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship construction and repair. Peanuts, sugarcane, cotton, green beans, industrial tomato, cherry tomato, melon, and mango are important cash crops.
French is the official language. Since April 2012, Senegal's president has been Macky Sall.
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History
In the 15th century, Portuguese people came to Gorée Island off the coast of Dakar. In the 17th century, French people and Dutch people came there, too. These European countries used the island as a trading post in slaves from the mainland, and was controlled by the Muslim Wolof Empires. Slavery was later made illegal by France, but soon after, around 1850, the French started to conquer the Wolof. By 1902 Senegal was a part of the French colony French West Africa.
In January 1959, Senegal and the French Sudan became one to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. This did not last long and Senegal and Mali broke apart into separate nations. Between 1982 and 1989, Senegal and The Gambia joined together to make Senegambia.
On July 1, 2025, France handed over the Rufisque joint station to Senegal. This station, active since 1960, was responsible for communications on the southern Atlantic coast. It also served as a listening station in the fight against maritime trafficking. The handover was carried out without ceremony, limited to the signing of a report. The handover of the last remaining military infrastructure in Senegal to the Senegalese authorities is planned. On July 18, 2025, the two military sites will be returned to the Senegalese government: the airport base and Camp Geille, a 5-hectare site located in Ouakam. Four villas located in Plateau, near the port, will also be transferred to the Senegalese authorities.[9]
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Geography
In the north of Senegal is the Senegal River. To the north of the river is Mauritania. The nation borders Mali in the east, Guinea-Bissau in the south, and Guinea in the south-east. The Gambia is another country inside of Senegal, along the Gambia River. It is about 300 km long.
The north of Senegal is part of the Sahel. The highest mountain is 581 m high. The rainy season is between June and October. The average temperature on the coast is about 24° C, and inland about 27° C.
Regions
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Notes
- Article 1 of the 2001 constitution of Senegal. This article says that the national languages are Diola, Malinké, Pular, Sérère, Soninké and Wolof.[2]
- Arabic is taught as a second language for religion.[3]
- With French Sudan, as the Mali Federation.
- As the Sudanese Republic, with Senegal as the Mali Federation.
References
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