Geography

Sunset over the Saloum River, Sine Saloum Delta, Senegal. Photo: Sue Walsh

The Republic of Senegal is the most westerly country of the African continent, situated between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania and bordering the North Atlantic Ocean with a coastline of 531 km. In the south-east it is bordered by Mali and Guinea. The Gambia lies in the southern part of Senegal and is entirely enclosed by it apart from its coastline. Senegal has a total area of 196,190 km2 (of which 4,190 km2 is water) and a population of almost 11 million people. The Senegal river flows from Guinea and forms the whole northern and eastern border of Senegal to the Atlantic at Saint-Louis. Other estuaries of significance are those of the Sine-Saloum, Gambia and Casamance rivers.

The climate is tropical with a rainy season from May to November (although rain only really falls between June and September) with strong south-east winds, and a dry season from December to April dominated by hot, dry, harmattan winds, which blow from the east and north-east off the Sahara. The terrain is generally low with 90% of the country less than 100 m above sea level. Rolling plains rise to foothills in the south-east and the highest elevation is 58 m above sea level.

The country can be divided into five distinct areas according to soils and vegetation: the Senegal river valley which lies in the Sahel biome; the coastal zone from south of the Senegal river to the Gambia river; the ground-nut zone which covers some two-thirds of the country including the vast Sahel and Sudan savannas of the interior; the south-east including the Bassari hills and the Parc National du Niokola Koba; and the Casamance, which includes the only area of Guinea forest vegetation in Senegal. Both the Sine-Saloum and the Casamance have important areas of mangroves.  

Languages are French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola and Mandinka. More details can be found at CIA Factbook.

Last page update 16th February 2011