Portal:Senegal

The Senegal Portal

Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated along the Atlantic Ocean coast. It borders Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal nearly surrounds the Gambia, a country occupying a narrow strip of land along the banks of the Gambia River, which separates Senegal's southern region of Casamance from the rest of the country. It also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde. The capital and largest city of Senegal is Dakar.

Senegal is the westernmost country in the mainland of the Old World, or Afro-Eurasia. It owes its name to the Senegal River, which borders it to the north and east. The climate is typically Sahelian, with a rainy season. Senegal covers a land area of almost 197,000 square kilometres (76,000 sq mi) and has a population of around 18 million.0 The state is a presidential republic; since the country's foundation in 1960, it has been recognized as one of the most stable countries on the African continent. On the 2024 V-Dem Democracy Indices, Senegal is ranked 68th in electoral democracy worldwide and 10th in electoral democracy in Africa.

The state was formed as part of the independence of French West Africa from French colonial rule. Because of this history, French is the official language, but it is understood by only a small minority of the population. Over 30 languages are spoken in Senegal. Wolof is the most widely spoken, with 80% of the population speaking it as a first or second language, acting as Senegal's lingua franca alongside French. Arabic and Pulaar also remain popular among certain communities. Like other African nations, the country includes a wide mix of ethnic and linguistic communities, with the largest being the Wolof, Fula, and Serer people. Senegalese people are predominantly Muslim.

As a developing nation, Senegal is classified as a heavily indebted poor country, with a relatively low ranking on the Human Development Index (169th out of 193). Most of the population lives on the coast and works in agriculture or other food industries; other major industries include mining, tourism, and services. The historic lack of natural resources in Senegal has redirected efforts towards increasing literacy and educational attainment. Senegal is a member state of the African Union, the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the Community of Sahel–Saharan States. (Full article...)

Location of Senegal
Senegalese life, the well regarded baobab tree, and a lion
The flag of Senegal
The coat of arms of Senegal

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Downtown of Ziguinchor

Ziguinchor (French: [ziɡɛ̃ʃɔʁ]; Wolof: Siggcoor [siɡˑcɔːɾ]; Arabic: زيغينكور) is the capital of the Ziguinchor Region, and the chief town of the Casamance area of Senegal, lying at the mouth of the Casamance River. It has a population of 214,874 (2023 census). It is the eighth largest city of Senegal, but is nearly separated from the north of the country by the nation of The Gambia.

Unlike the semi-arid to arid north of Senegal, Ziguinchor has a tropical savanna climate, as it is under the influence of the West African Monsoon. It has an average annual accumulated rainfall of approximately 1,547 millimetres or 61 inches. (Full article...)

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Faidherbe Bridge (French: Pont Faidherbe) is a road bridge over the Senegal River which links the island of the city of Saint-Louis in Senegal to the African mainland. The metal bridge is 507.35 m (1,664.5 ft) long and 10.5 m (34 ft) wide, weighing 1,500 t (1,500 long tons; 1,700 short tons). It has eight spans, of which the longest five are 78.26 m (256.8 ft).

Until the 19th century, access to the island was made through boats. After the introduction of a ferry that could transport 150 passengers, Louis Faidherbe quickly saw that the system was clearly overrun and decided to construct the first bridge over the Sénégal River. The governor of Senegal, Henri de Lamothe decided to take a loan worth five million gold francs to construct a new metallic bridge in Saint-Louis. After the construction company was selected, they all decided to construct a new metallic bridge with a section capable of turning 90 degrees to allow the passage of ships. The bridge was opened on July 14, 1897. In the 2000s, a US$27 million rehabilitation plan has been inaugurated. (Full article...)

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Linguere Ndoye Demba Joos Fadiou, also known as Ndoye Demba in Senegambian dynastic history, was a Serer princess from the Kingdom of Sine (now part of present-day Senegal), from the later half of the 14th century to the 15th century. The royal title – "Lingeer" means Queen or Royal Princess. She was given in marriage to the Brak of Waalo – Caaka Mbaar Mbooj (variation : Brac Thiaka Mbar). The surname Mbooj is the English spelling in the Gambia, variation include Mboge. In French speaking Senegal, it is spelt Mbodj. Differences in spelling is due to the colonial past of the Gambia and Senegal. France colonized Senegal, whilst Britain colonized the Gambia, thus the division of the two countries. Caaka Mbaar was the second king of Waalo from the Mbooj patrilineage, who ruled in the second half of the 14th century, around 1367. Brak was the title of the kings of Waalo. Lingeer Ndoye Demba was the founder of the Serer Joos Maternal Dynasty (variations : Dyoss, Diouss-Fahou, Dious-Fadiou, Dieuss, Dihosou, also "Diouss" – the French spelling in Senegal) of Waalo. In the Wolof Kingdom of Waalo, Lingeer Ndoye Demba is considered the matriarch of the Joos maternal clan. In the Serer Kingdom of Sine, it is her grandmother Lingeer Fatim Beye (variations : Fa-tim Beye or Fatimata Beye) who is considered to be the matriarch of this maternal dynasty. In the Serer language, the word "Fa-tim" means "the maternal clan of ... ". The Serer surname Beye (var : Bèye) is also one of the many Serer maternal clans. (Full article...)

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