The West African nation of Senegal has been hailed for its rich literary and cultural scene. Its first president, Léopold Senghor, was a world-famous poet. The tradition continues with a string of writers and especially musicians who have found fame throughout Africa and the world. The capital and largest city, Dakar, has long been known as the “Paris of Africa.” GeographySenegal is the westernmost country on the great bulge of Africa. The country covers an area of 75,955 square miles (196,722 square kilometers). It is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, on the northeast by Mauritania, on the east by Mali, and on the south by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. The Gambia extends into Senegal from the coast. The small part of Senegal south of The Gambia is called the Casamance region. It is largely cut off from the rest of the country. Most of Senegal is flat and low-lying. It has three major geographic regions. In the west, the land is a patchwork of small plateaus made of volcanic rock. This region includes Cape Verde, a triangular piece of land that juts into the ocean. Ancient mountain masses in the southeast and east make up the second region. The third consists of a shallow basin lying between Cape Verde to the west and the edges of the mountains to the east. Senegal contains four major rivers: the Senegal, Saloum, Casamance, and Gambia. Ships can travel on these rivers for a substantial distance inland. Plants and animalsSenegal's natural vegetation consists largely of grassland with scattered trees. Forests occupy more than a third of the total land area and are denser in the Casamance region. The southern coast is covered by mangroves. Senegal enjoys a great diversity of wildlife, including monkeys, panthers, warthogs, and wild dogs. The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, in the north, protects more than a million birds. The Niokolo-Koba National Park, in the southeast, is home to chimpanzees, elephants, hippopotamuses, antelope, lions, leopards, and many other species. People and cultureThe seven major ethnic groups in Senegal are the Wolof, Fulani, Serer, Tukulor, Diola, Malinke, and Soninke. The Wolof make up nearly half of the total population. French is the official language, but most people speak the language of their own group instead. More than 90 percent of the people follow Islam. Traditional Senegalese culture remains much alive in art, music, and dance. The cultural heritage is preserved chiefly by an oral tradition, which means that stories are told rather than written down. The griot, a poet-musician and historian, recites poems that tell of warrior deeds. One of the country's best-known writers was Léopold Senghor, a leading poet of a 20th-century movement that celebrated African culture. Other well-known Senegalese writers include the poet Birago Diop and the novelist and film director Ousmane Sembène. EconomySenegal is primarily a farming country. About two thirds of the country's workforce is employed in agriculture. Peanuts are the major crop by far. Peanut oil accounts for more than 10 percent of the country's total exports. Other important crops include cotton, rice, sugarcane, and vegetables. The Senegalese government has encouraged farmers to plant more of these crops in order to reduce the country's dependence on peanuts. Fish and crustaceans account for more than a quarter of the products exported. The main industries include the processing of food, phosphate, petroleum, and chemicals. Tourism also has become a major source of income. HistoryEarly historyHumans have inhabited the area now known as Senegal since prehistoric times. The Tukulor people settled in the area by the 10th century AD. They converted to Islam in the 11th century. However, traditional beliefs were practiced in Senegal well into the 19th century. The kingdoms of the Wolof, Serer, and Mande peoples began to develop in Senegal from about the 12th century. European tradeEuropean explorers first reached the Senegal area in the 15th century. The first to arrive were the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch, English, and French. The Europeans established trading posts along the coast from the 17th century. They traded in African slaves, gum arabic, ivory, and gold. French ruleBy 1900 most of Senegal was under French control. The towns of Saint-Louis and later Dakar, with its excellent harbor, became centers of colonial administration. In 1958 Senegal became a self-governing republic within the French community. In 1959 it broke from France and joined in a federation with the present-day country of Mali. Senegal became an independent republic in 1960. Independent SenegalLéopold Senghor, who had led the independence movement, became the country's first president. He was succeeded by Abdou Diouf in 1981. Diouf extended political freedom in the country and increased the country's involvement in disputes in neighboring countries. Abdoulaye Wade was elected president in 2000. As his term began, Wade faced on ongoing struggle with violent rebels in the south who wanted the Casamance region to be a separate country. Population (2001 estimate), 10,285,000. |