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Geography of 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)
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 on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal

Senegal Quickstats

  • Population: 12,521,851 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 196,190 sq km
  • Density: 59 /km² (137th)
  • GDP (total): $20.504 billion (109th)
  • GDP (per capita): $1,759 (149th)
  • Literacy: 39.3%

Languages of Senegal

Useful to know

  • Currency: CFA franc (XOF)
  • Dial code: +221

International Trade

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