Introduction
GeographySenegal is the westernmost country in Africa. It contains roughly 330 miles of coastline on the North Atlantic Ocean, with its capital, Dakar, being located midway along the coastline. It is bordered by the countries of Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, the Gambia, Guinea, and Mali. Senegal's land mass is slightly smaller than that of South Dakota. The climate of Senegal is tropical, hot and humid. It has a rainy season that spans from May to November, and a dry season that spans from December to April. The terrain consists of low, rolling plains and foothills in the southeast.
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HistoryThe area that Senegal now consists of experienced much of its early history as a part of various tribal kingdoms, with such as the Ghana Empire and the Djolof Kingdom being most prominent in the 13th and 14th centuries. During the 16th and 17th centuries, various European powers such as Portugal, England, the Netherlands and France all began vying for position in Senegal to capitalize on its premier location for the slave trade. France became the dominant power in Senegal, and its influence is still relevant even after Senegal gained its independence from France in 1960.
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population & Demographics
Senegal has a population of 15,020,945, making it the 72nd most populated nation in the world. Forty-seven percent of Senegal's population is concentrated in urban areas. Sixty percent of Senegal's population is under the age of 25. There is a high fertility rate of 4.5 children per women due to high desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. The majority of the population is concentrated in the west, mainly in and around Dakar.
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ReligionNearly 96 percent of Senegalese are Sufi Muslim, with the other 4 percent being Roman Catholic. An interesting aspect of the fact that Senegal is such a dominantly Muslim nation is that their first elected president, Leópold Senghor, was a Catholic and that they are relatively liberal when it comes to the issue of women's rights.
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languagesThe official language of Senegal is French; however, the Wolof is the most commonly-spoken language which dates back to the Jolof Kingdom which ruled the area in the 14th century. The next most commonly spoken languages are the regional dialects of Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke. Around 24 indigenous languages are spoken with 20 of them being considered national languages. The use of English in Senegal is uncommon, most exposure to it comes through foreign media.
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politicsSenegal is a presidential republic that was formed after its independence from France on April 4th 1960. In comparison to many post-colonial African nations, Senegal has experienced a successful democracy with peaceful transitions in power and has never experienced a military coup d'etat. There are a multitude of political parties and a parliamentary National Assembly.
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