Portal:Senegal

The Senegal Portal

Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. 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 sliver 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. Senegal's capital 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 east and north. The climate is typically Sahelian, though there is 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 minority of the population. Over 30 languages are spoken in Senegal. Wolof is the most widely spoken one, with 80% of the population speaking it as a first or second language, acting as Senegal's lingua franca alongside French. 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.

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

Selected article -

Industrial Rufisque, 2006

Rufisque (Arabic: روفيسك; Wolof: Tëngeéj) is a city in the Dakar region of western Senegal, at the base of the Cap-Vert Peninsula 25 kilometres (16 mi) east of Dakar, the capital. It has a population of 295,459 (2023 census). In the past it was an important port city in its own right, but is now a suburb of Dakar.

Rufisque is also the capital of the department of the same name. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected images

Image 1The Mbot mask. Symbol of the Serer peoples' Ndut initiation rite.
Credit: Tamsier
More about the Ndut rite of passage...
Image 2The Serer of the Senegambia's representation of the universe. The three worlds : the invisible world, the terrestrial world and the nocturnal world.
Credit: Henry Gravrand - La civilisation sereer : Pangool
(uploaded by Tamsier in 2012)
For more about this picture, see Serer creation myth and Serer religion (A ƭat Roog).
Image 3Senegal coucal bird.
Credit: Charlesjsharp
More about Senegal coucal...
Image 4The Great Mosque of Touba; home of the Mouride Sufi brotherhood, it is also one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in Africa.
Credit: Zivax
More about Great Mosque of Touba...
Image 5The Senegambian stone circles (Wassu section) believed by archaeologists and historians to be built by the Serer people of the Senegambia region. The Senegambia stone circles are the largest concentration of stone circles seen anywhere in the world according to UNESCO. They are sacred burial grounds and a place of ritual offerings (kuur in Serer).
Credit: Atamari
For more about this picture, see Senegambian stone circles, Mummification and Cult of the Upright Stones in Serer religion, and Serer ancient history.
Image 6The African Renaissance Monument (French: Le Monument de la Renaissance Africaine) is a 49 meter tall bronze statue located on top of one of the twin hills known as Collines des Mamelles, outside Dakar, Senegal. Built overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the Ouakam suburb, the statue was designed by the Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby after an idea presented by president Abdoulaye Wade and built by Mansudae Overseas Projects, a company from North Korea. Site preparation on top of the 100-meter high hill began in 2006, and construction of the bronze statue began 3 April 2008. Originally scheduled for completion in December 2009, delays stretched into early 2010, and the formal dedication occurred on 4 April 2010, Senegal's "National Day", commemorating the 50th anniversary of the country's independence from France. It is the tallest statue in Africa.
Credit: Fawaz.tairou
More about the African Renaissance Monument...
Image 7The flag of Senegal (French: le drapeau du Sénégal) is a tricolour consisting of three vertical green, yellow and red bands charged with a five-pointed green star at the centre. Adopted in 1960 to replace the flag of the Mali Federation, it has been the flag of the Republic of Senegal since the country gained independence that year. The present and previous flags were inspired by French Tricolour, which flew over Senegal until 1960.
Credit: Nightstallion (original uploader, 2005) and Tcfc2349 (latest uploader to Wikimedia Commons, 2016)
More about flag of Senegal...
Image 8Skyline of Dakar, capital of Senegal.
Credit: Initsogan
More about Dakar...
Image 9The Queen of Waalo - Lingeer Ndaté Yalla Mbodj (1810–1860) in her royal dress, seating and smoking a pipe.
Credit: Llanta. Lithographer, Abbot P. David Boilat, author of text in his book Esquisses sénégalaises (1853). Source: cote : Gallica, bnf.fr - Réserve DT 549.2 B 67 M Atlas - planche n °5 - Notice n° : FRBNF38495418 - (Illustrations de Esquisses sénégalaises). Uploader to Wiki Commons Patricia.fidi
More about Ndaté Yalla Mbodj...
Image 10The star Yoonir, symbol of the Universe in Serer religion and Cosmogony. The Serer people are one of the main ethnic groups of Senegal, and are also found in The Gambia and Mauritania. The peak of the star (top point) represents their Supreme Deity (Roog). The other four points represent the cardinal points of the Universe. The crossing of the lines ("bottom left" and "top right", and "top left" and "bottom right") pinpoints the axis of the Universe that all energies pass. The top point is "the point of departure and conclusion, the origin and the end". Among the Serers who cannot read or write the Latin alphabet, it is very common for them to sign official documents with the star of Yoonir, as the star also represents "good fortune and destiny". Yoonir also represents the Serer people and their precolonial Kingdom of Sine.
Credit: Tamsier (and Yoonir file by Tamsier)
For more about the pentagram in Serer spirituality, see Yoonir in Serer religion and Serer creation myth.

Selected quotation -

“

It has long been thought that the Senegal and the Niger were the same river; and they were indifferently called by each name. Several ancient and modern authors have maintained this opinion; and others have controverted it. But the discoveries of Mungo Park have irrevocably decided the point; as this traveller has found, that the Senegal and the Niger are two different rivers whose course in opposite; the former running in a western, and the latter in an eastern direction.

”

— Jean Baptiste Léonard Durand, A Voyage to Senegal: Or, Historical, Philosophical, and Political Memoirs, Relative to the Discoveries, Establishments and Commerce of Europeans in the Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Blanco to the River of Sierra Leone. To which is Added an Account of a Journey from Isle St. Louis to Galam. R. Phillips (1806), p. 121, [1]

Recognized content -

Entries here consist of Good and Featured articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.

Positive Black Soul performing in Vienna, Austria (2003)

Positive Black Soul (also known as PBS) is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi (alias DJ Awadi) and Amadou Barry (alias Doug E. Tee or Duggy-Tee), both of whom had previously been in other hip hop groups. They perform in the English, French, and Wolof languages and use traditional Senegalese instruments as part of their songs. Political and social activism have played important roles in the group since it was founded. (Full article...)

List of recognized articles
Carabane Daara J Mamadou N'Diaye (basketball, born 1993) Faidherbe Bridge Senegal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics Senegal at the 2010 Winter Olympics Serer creation myth Serer maternal clans Battle of Logandème Battle of Fandane-Thiouthioune

Selected biography -

Yandé Codou Sène (also Yande Codou Sene) was a Senegalese singer from the Serer ethnic group. She was born in 1932 at Somb in the Sine-Saloum delta and died on July 15, 2010, at Gandiaye in Sénégal. She was the official griot of president Léopold Sédar Senghor. Most of her music is in the Serer language. (Full article...)

List of selected biographies

General images

The following are images from various Senegal-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1A ball signares in St. Louis (burning 1890) (from History of Senegal)
Image 2The List of Complaints of Saint-Louis du Sénégal (1789) (from History of Senegal)
Image 3Extension of the Mali Empire at its height (from History of Senegal)
Image 4A mosque in Saint-Louis. (from Senegal)
Image 5Senegalese Wrestling (from Senegal)
Image 6A map by Guillaume Delisle (1770) (from History of Senegal)
Image 7The African Renaissance Monument was a $27 million project by Abdoulaye Wade that triggered popular protests (from Senegal)
Image 8Wolof of Waalo, in "war costume" (1846) (from History of Senegal)
Image 9The Prince of Joinville arriving at Gorée in 1842 (from History of Senegal)
Image 10Saint-Louis in 1780 (from History of Senegal)
Image 11The short-lived Fédération du Mali (from History of Senegal)
Image 12Macky Sall, President of Senegal (2012–2024) (from Senegal)
Image 13Senegal's population from 1960 to 2017 (in millions) (from Senegal)
Image 14Our Lady of Victories Cathedral, a Catholic Church in Dakar (from Senegal)
Image 15Location of the Ghana Empire (from History of Senegal)
Image 16Painting of footballer El Hadji Diouf in Dakar (from Senegal)
Image 17Students in Senegal (from Senegal)
Image 18Portuguese colonies and posts under the reign of João III, 16th century (from History of Senegal)
Image 19Land mines were widely used in the Casamance conflict between separatist rebels and the central government. (from Senegal)
Image 20Landscape of Casamance (from Senegal)
Image 21Flag of French Senegal (1958–1959) (from History of Senegal)
Image 22« Plan de l'isle de Gorée avec ses deux forts et le combat que nous avons rendu le premier du mois de novembre 1677 » (from History of Senegal)
Image 23Development of life expectancy (from Senegal)
Image 24The short-lived Mali Federation (from Senegal)
Image 25Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal (2000–2012) (from Senegal)
Image 26The Dutch West India Company at Amsterdam in 1655 (from History of Senegal)
Image 27Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Fa Ndeb Joof. King of Sine. The Royal House of Boureh Gnilane Joof. (from History of Senegal)
Image 28Megalithic alignments in Senegal (from History of Senegal)
Image 29Beach at N'Gor (from Senegal)
Image 30Monument near the Maison des Esclaves on Gorée Island (from History of Senegal)
Image 31Kora player from Senegal (from Senegal)
Image 32French and local slave traders in Gorée, 18th century (from Senegal)
Image 33The Portuguese Empire was the first European power to colonize Senegal, beginning with the arrival of Dinis Dias in 1444 at Gorée Island and ending in 1888, when the Portuguese gave Ziguinchor to the French. (from Senegal)
Image 34Aerial view of Yoff Commune, Dakar (from Senegal)
Image 35Senegalese football fans at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia (from Senegal)
Image 36Arrival of Blaise Diagne, Deputy for Senegal, High Commissioner of the Government for the recruitment of black troops in Dakar in March 1918 (from History of Senegal)
Image 37Regions of Senegal (from Senegal)
Image 38Historical development of real GDP per capita in Senegal and Gambia, since 1950 (from Senegal)
Image 39Senegal map of Köppen climate classification (from Senegal)
Image 40Fishing boats in Dakar (from Senegal)

Did you know -

... that l'Île de Gorée, a former centre of the Atlantic slave trade from where many Africans were deported to the Americas, is a world heritage site?

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