Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal
Data code: SG
Government type: republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital: Dakar
Independence: 4 April 1960 from France; complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 (The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (constituted February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)
Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; Senegal has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou Mansour SECK chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Harriet L. ELAM-THOMAS embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 823-4296, 823-7384 FAX: [221] 822-2991
Economy
Economy - overview: In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which is linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually in 1995-99. Annual inflation has been pushed down to 2%, and the fiscal deficit has been cut to less than 1.5% of GDP. Investment rose steadily from 13.8% of GDP in 1993 to 16.5% in 1997. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff. Senegal also realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a miniboom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82% of GDP. On the negative side, Senegal faces deep-seated urban problems of chronic unemployment, juvenile delinquency, and drug addiction. Real GDP growth is expected to rise above 6%, while inflation is likely to hold at 2% in 2000-2001.
Population below poverty line: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (1999 est.)
Industries: agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials
Agriculture - products: peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish
Currency: 1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 82,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 122 (1995)
Telephone system: domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 10, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 1.24 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 361,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 4 (1999)
Transportation
Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (70 km double track)
Highways: total: 14,576 km paved: 4,271 km unpaved: 10,305 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 897 km total; 785 km on the Senegal river, and 112 km on the Saloum river
Ports and harbors: Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor
Airports: 20 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
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