east 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

People

Population: 10,051,930 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (male 2,403,384; female 2,416,791)
15-64 years: 49% (male 2,360,113; female 2,594,278)
65 years and over: 3% (male 134,765; female 142,599) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.32% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 43.88 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 10.71 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 59.81 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 57.83 years
male: 54.95 years
female: 60.78 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.11 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups: Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Diola 3.7%,
Mandink 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions: Muslim 92%, indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2%
(mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, Mandingo

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total populati