Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.
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Location:
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Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
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Geographic coordinates:
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14 00 N, 14 00 W
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than South Dakota
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Land boundaries:
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total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
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Coastline:
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531 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind
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Terrain:
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generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m
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Natural resources:
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fish, phosphates, iron ore
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Land use:
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arable land: 12.78%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 87.01% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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710 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
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Environment - current issues:
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wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
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Geography - note:
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westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal
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Population:
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11,126,832 (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,404,461/female 2,360,167)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,901,689/female 3,122,854)
65 years and over: 3% (male 161,173/female 176,488) (2005 est.)
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Median age:
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total: 18.15 years
male: 17.6 years
female: 18.7 years (2005 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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2.48% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate:
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35.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Death rate:
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10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 59.17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 56.75 years
male: 55.04 years
female: 58.52 years (2005 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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4.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.8% (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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44,000 (2003 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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3,500 (2003 est.)
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)
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Nationality:
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noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese
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Ethnic groups:
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Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%
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Religions:
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Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic)
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Languages:
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French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.2%
male: 50%
female: 30.7% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal
local long form: Republique du Senegal
local short form: Senegal
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Government type:
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republic under multiparty democratic rule
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Capital:
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Dakar
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Administrative divisions:
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11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
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Independence:
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4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
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Constitution:
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a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001
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Legal system:
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based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term under new constitution; election last held under prior constitution (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19 March 2000 (next to be held February 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou DIOUF (PS) 41.51%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001, had 140 seats
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial system was reformed in 1992
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Political parties and leaders:
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African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
consulate(s) general: New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Alan ROTH
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
telephone: [221] 823-4296
FAX: [221] 822-2991
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Flag description:
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three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
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Economy - overview:
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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 was 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 during 1995-2003. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance, however. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries debt relief program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private sector debt.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $18.36 billion (2004 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.2% (2004 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 15.9%
industry: 21.4%
services: 62.7% (2004 est.)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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20.1% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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54% (2001 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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41.3 (1995)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.8% (2004 est.)
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Labor force:
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4.65 million (2004 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 70%
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Unemployment rate:
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48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $1.572 billion
expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $357 million (2004 est.)
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Public debt:
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55.2% of GDP (2004 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish
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Industries:
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agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship construction and repair
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Industrial production growth rate:
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4.7% (2004 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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1.737 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.615 billion kWh (2002)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA
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Oil - imports:
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NA
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Natural gas - production:
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50 million cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - consumption:
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50 million cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.)
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Current account balance:
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$-518.8 million (2004 est.)
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Exports:
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$1.374 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton
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Exports - partners:
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India 13.8%, France 10.6%, Mali 10%, Italy 6%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.7%, Spain 4% (2004)
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Imports:
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$2.128 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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food and beverages, capital goods, fuels
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Imports - partners:
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France 26.2%, Nigeria 12.1%, Thailand 5.3%, Belgium 5%, Spain 4.2% (2004)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$820 million (2004 est.)
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Debt - external:
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$3.476 billion (2004 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$362.6 million (2002 est.)
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Currency:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
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Currency code:
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XOF
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Exchange rates:
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Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Railways:
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total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2004)
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Highways:
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total: 14,576 km
paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)
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Waterways:
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1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2003)
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Pipelines:
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gas 564 km (2004)
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Ports and harbors:
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Dakar, Kaolack, Matam, Podor, Richard Toll, Saint-Louis, Ziguinchor
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Airports:
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20 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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This page was last updated on 28 July, 2005
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