Revision as of 22:41, July 10, 2007

Senegal, also known as the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country on the continent of Africa. It has a total land area of 196,190 sq km, and is on the coastline of the North Atlantic Ocean, bordered by the countries of: Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Mauritania. The capital city of Senegal is Dakar.

Background

The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal was ruled by the Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The most significant threat within Senegal since the 1980s has been led by the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC). Although a peace agreement was signed in December 2004, internal rifts continue to keep the peace process deadlocked. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.

Climate

The tropical climate of Senegal is normally hot and humid. The rainy season is from May to November, and the dry season is from December to April. The inland regions are drier than the coast areas, and have many sandy, desertlike plains. The southern portion of the country receives more rainfall than the northern.

Population

Senegal has a population of approximately 12,521,851. Almost half the population is under 14 years of age. The majority of the population (94%) is Muslim, with a minority of Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), and 1% of other beliefs. Senegal is considered an underdeveloped country, as many people do not have access to good health care or education. Less than 40% of the population aged 15 years or older are literate. Over half the population live below the poverty line.

Plants

The trees common to Senegal are: the silk-cotton tree, bamboo tree, African teak, gingerbread plum, tallow tree, acacias, African locust bean, palm tree, kapok, baobab, coconut, mango, and mangrove tree.

Agriculture

A majority of the population of Senegal is involved in farming or fishing. The main agricultural products produced are: peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables. The primary animal products are cattle, poultry, pork, and fish.

References

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sg.html

http://www.gouv.sn/

http://www.travelblog.org/World/sg-geog.html

http://www.mapsofworld.com/country-profile/senegal-information-geography-history.html

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 ==Background==
-Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. While independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Although the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea promises to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
+The French colonies of Senegal and the French Sudan were merged in 1959 and granted their independence as the Mali Federation in 1960. The union broke up after only a few months. Senegal was ruled by the Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982, but the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. The most significant threat within Senegal since the 1980s has been led by the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC). Although a peace agreement was signed in December 2004, internal rifts continue to keep the peace process deadlocked. Nevertheless, Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.
 ==Climate==

Difference between revisions of "Senegal"