Africa’s westernmost point, Cap Vert or Cabo Verde, lies within the borders of Senegal. The country is named after the River Senegal, which flows along its northern border. This horseshoe-shaped country curves around another country, The Gambia. Most of its land is made up of rolling grasslands. The foothills of the Fouta Djalon highlands—the country’s only uplands—rise in the far southeast corner. The northern part of Senegal reaches into the semi-arid Sahel, bordering the Sahara Desert. The south is greener and wetter, with a hot, tropical climate and a rainy season between June and October.

People

The largest ethnic group in Senegal are the Wolof, a people whose ancestors came from the western Sahara. Other large groups include the Fula in the north and the Serer, native to the Senegal valley. Senegal is largely a peaceful country. Nearly all its people are Muslims. Although French is the official language, most people speak local languages, such as Wolof or Fula. Wolof is the main language spoken in the capital, Dakar.

Schools

In Senegal, education is free and children have to go to school, but classes are often overcrowded: some have more than 50 children. Many children leave school early to go to work. Only a few stay on after the age of 14 and most are boys. Because of this, the country’s literacy rates (the percentage of people who can read and write) are low, especially among girls: just 56% of Senegalese girls aged between 15 and 24 can read and write.

Industry

Senegal has one of the most stable economies in West Africa, partly because of its long history of peaceful government. This stability has attracted investment from Arab and French companies, who have set up international organizations and banks in the capital, Dakar. One of the country’s biggest industries is phosphate mining. Phosphates are used in the production of chemicals such as fertilizers.

Farming and fishing

The best land for farming is in the western Senegal valley, where farmers grow peanuts and cotton for export. The wetter south is perfect for growing crops which need a lot of water, such as sugar cane and rice. The seas off the Senegalese coast are rich fishing grounds, and fish and seafood are important exports.

Facts about Senegal

Population 18,847,519 (2024 estimate)

Area 192,530 sq km

Highest point unnamed elevation 581 m (1906 ft)

Capital Dakar, metro area population 4,004,427

Other major cities Touba (pop. 1,120,824), Kaolack (298,904)

Languages French, Wolof, Fula, Jola, Mandinka

Religions Muslim 97%, Christian (Roman Catholic) 3%

Ethnicity Wolof 39%, Fula 27.5%, Serer 16%, Mandinka 4.9%, Jola 4.2%, Sonike 2.4%, Other 6%

Currency West African CFA franc (XOF)

Chief exports fish, groundnuts (peanuts), oil and petroleum products, phosphates (used to make fertilisers), cotton