eparatist
insurgency in southern Senegal since the 1980s, and several peace
deals have failed to resolve the conflict. Nevertheless, Senegal
remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. Senegal was
ruled by a Socialist Party for 40 years until current President
Abdoulaye WADE was elected in 2000. He was reelected in February
2007, but complaints of fraud led opposition parties to boycott June
2007 legislative polls. Senegal has a long history of participating
in international peacekeeping.

Geography
Senegal

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates:

14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km
water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:

total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:

531 km

Maritime claims:

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

Climate:

tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong
southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot,
dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:

generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources:

fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use:

arable land: 12.51%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 87.25% (2005)

Irrigated land:

1,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

39.4 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 2.22 cu km/yr (4%/3%/93%)
per capita: 190 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards:

lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:

wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

westernmost country