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Senegal - GENERAL INFORMATION
 
Population - Local time - Languages - Religion - Political system - Climate - Tourism - Food



Population



Main Cities Population
Dakar   1,641,358  
Thies   216,381  
Kaolack   193,115  
Zinqunichor   161,680  
Saint Louis   132,499  



Total population (millions): 10.5
Source: World Bank 2004

Urban population: 50%
Source: World Bank 2004

Average annual population growth: 2.1%
Source: World Bank 2004

Surface area (km²) : 196,720


Population origin

Origin of the population% Of the population
Ouolof43
Toucouleur24
Serere15
Diola5
Mandingue4
Sarakhol?/TD>2
Other7


Local time


It is %T:%M %A in Dakar


GMT


Languages


Official language: French
Spoken languages: The Wolof for most people, but there are also the Diola, the Poulaar, the Malink?and the Mandingue. If, in the East of Africa, the Swahili has developed as the common language, in Western Africa the predominant language is the old colon's languages, French, here. However, the Wolof is spoken and understood by several Senegalese. Dialects are numerous (at least 50, 15 of which are spoken by more than 15,000 people). It is to be noted that following the example of numerous essentially Muslim ethnies, the Wolofs and Madingues use the traditional Arab greetings (Salaam Aleikoum, Aleikoum Asalaam...)
Business language: French and Wolof.

Free translation tools in Senegal :
Babel Fish
Free French-English-French translation of texts and web pages



Religion


Religious practises : mainly Islam (94 %), Christianity (5 %) and animism (1 %).


Political system


Senegal is a Republic with a presidential regime. The President is elected by universal suffrage for 7 years and he has full executive power; he is assisted by his Prime Minister.
The legislative power is held by the National Assembly, composed of 120 members elected by universal suffrage every years. Head of State: President Abdoulaye Wade (2000)
Prime Minister : Idrissa Seck (PDS, 2002).


Climate

 

Capital: Dakar


Tourism

Number of visitors in Senegal 2002 2003 2004 World rank
Number of visitors (1000) 427   354   363   n.a.
Source : World Tourisme Organization, data available in November 2005

 

Tourist sites


-Dakar: the Presidencial Palace ; The National Assembly; the Cathedral ......
-Saint Louis and the Senegal river; the lake of Guiers; the national parks of Djoudj and the Barbary Tongue
-Sine Saloum: the Saloum islands; Megalithic Sites.
-Saly: beaches.
-Casamance: the fields; the peghe; the rice harvest and the village under the cheese dairy.
-Joal and Fadiouth: Jaoul beach.
-Cayar: the pink lake
-The Goree island: the slave's house

For more information about tourism in Senegal , check out the following web site(s) :
Senegal Tourism Board


Food


Traditional dishes


Groundnut and chicken soup
Groundnuts Chicken
Thebouidienne: fish with vegetables. In Senegal, this traditional dish is generally prepared with Tiof, a local fish. The hake is the most similar fish but it can be substituted by a light fish such as haddock, sea bream, conger etc. Usually, the fish is served in a service dish; the rice in another one and the cooking juice in a sauceboat.
Chicken Yassa : it is the flavour of lime, garlic, and clove. It is usually served with rice in a service dish wich is placed in the centre of the table and the dinner guests eat it with their fingers. In Senegal, they stab every piece of meat with a chopper to make it more tender before it is marinaded. Time of preparation: less than 30 min.
Coconut Cake: it is a kind of fritter.
The fish is the main ingredient of the daily diet, chicken, lamb or beef are sometimes in the meals. Some gnu or wild boar grill can also be found on the restaurants menus.

Food-related taboos


You will not find any pork because 90% of the population is Muslim.

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Last modified in October 2005
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