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.

Senegal Geography

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: contiguous zone: 24 NM

continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

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%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 16%

forests and woodland: 54%

other: 18% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 710 sq km (1993 est.)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note: The Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal

Senegal People

Population: 10,284,929 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.07% (male 2,279,996; female 2,252,255)

15-64 years: 52.88% (male 2,603,829; female 2,834,328)

65 years and over: 3.05% (male 155,877; female 158,644) (2001 est.)

Popul