Senegal

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Map of Senegal and its surrounding region in West Africa, showing international boundaries, major cities including Dakar, Saint-Louis, and Ziguinchor, and neighboring countries Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia. An inset locator map highlights Senegal's position on the continent.

Aerial view of Dakar, Senegal, showing densely packed buildings along the coastline with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

Map highlighting Senegal in light brown on the west coast of Africa, showing its location relative to neighboring countries including Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and the Atlantic Ocean. Major nearby cities such as Dakar are labeled.

Curved twin staircases lead to the upper level of a pinkish-red slave house on Goree Island, Senegal, with arched doorways and a sandy courtyard below.

Map of Senegal highlighting its physical features, including major rivers, national parks such as Niokolo Koba, faunal reserves, and Lake Guiers. The map shows Senegal bordered by Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and surrounds The Gambia. An inset locator map indicates Senegal's position on the west coast of Africa.

Casamance area, Senegal

Large baobab trees with thick trunks and sparse branches grow in a grassy, wooded landscape in Senegal, West Africa.

At a Glance

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Senegal summary

Senegal: Media

country, Africa

Images

Senegal

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Senegal and its surrounding region in West Africa, showing international boundaries, major cities including Dakar, Saint-Louis, and Ziguinchor, and neighboring countries Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and The Gambia. An inset locator map highlights Senegal's position on the continent.

Senegal

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Aerial view of Dakar, Senegal, showing densely packed buildings along the coastline with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

An aerial view of Dakar, Senegal

© Derejeb/Dreamstime.com

Map highlighting Senegal in light brown on the west coast of Africa, showing its location relative to neighboring countries including Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and the Atlantic Ocean. Major nearby cities such as Dakar are labeled.

Senegal

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Curved twin staircases lead to the upper level of a pinkish-red slave house on Goree Island, Senegal, with arched doorways and a sandy courtyard below.

Gorée Island, Senegal: Maison des Esclaves (“Slave House”)

Maison des Esclaves (“Slave House”), Gorée Island, Senegal.

© GoLo/stock.adobe.com

Map of Senegal highlighting its physical features, including major rivers, national parks such as Niokolo Koba, faunal reserves, and Lake Guiers. The map shows Senegal bordered by Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and surrounds The Gambia. An inset locator map indicates Senegal's position on the west coast of Africa.

Senegal

Physical features of Senegal.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Gambia River

Gambia River

The Gambia River flowing through Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal.

U.S. Geological Survey

Casamance area, Senegal

Casamance area, Senegal

Laterite soil road, upper Casamance area, Senegal.

© Dorothy Voorhees

Large baobab trees with thick trunks and sparse branches grow in a grassy, wooded landscape in Senegal, West Africa.

A grove of baobab trees

Baobab trees can be found growing in many areas of Senegal.

K. Scholz/Shostal Associates

Red-billed quelea

Red-billed quelea

A flock of red-billed queleas (Quelea quelea).

© 169169/Fotolia

Kaolack

Kaolack

Market in Kaolack, Senegal.

Radosław Botev

Touba, Senegal: Grand Mosquée

Touba, Senegal: Grand Mosquée

A.F. Kersting

Saint-Louis, Senegal

Saint-Louis, Senegal

The island city of Saint-Louis, Senegal.

© bertauxn/Fotolia

Senegal: Peanuts

Senegal: Peanuts

Senegalese workers climb a mountain of peanuts using sacks as steps.

Hoa-Qui/Viesti Associates, Inc.

Small boats are moored in the clear, shallow harbor of Goree Island, Dakar, with colorful colonial buildings and palm trees along the waterfront.

Boats moored in the harbor of Gorée Island, Senegal

© Mariusz Prusaczyk/Dreamstime.com

Two Senegalese street musicians in colorful traditional clothing play koras on a street in Goree Island, Dakar, standing in front of a faded yellow and pink wall.

Dakar, Senegal: Street musicians

Street musicians playing the kora, Dakar, Senegal.

© Vladimir Zhoga/Shutterstock.com

Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour

Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour, a well-known Senegalese musician, performs onstage in an undated...

Jak Kilby/Retna Ltd.

Round stone Fort d'Estrees stands on a sandy shore lined with palm trees on Goree Island, Senegal, with ocean water in the foreground.

Gorée Island: Fort d'Estrées

Fort d'Estrées on Gorée Island, off the coast of Senegal.

© officek_ki—iStock/Getty Images

2025 Africa Cup

2025 Africa Cup

Senegal's national football team celebrates after defeating Morocco to win the 2025...

© Paul Ellis—AFP/Getty Images

Gorée Island, Senegal

Gorée Island, Senegal

The stairways of the historical slave house on Gorée Island near Dakar, Senegal.

© rweisswald/Fotolia

Map of western Africa in the late 19th century showing areas under French and British control in 1880, and illustrating the advance of French, British, and German colonial forces with dated arrows. French-controlled territory is shaded green and British-controlled territory is shaded purple, with major advances and key cities labeled. Boundaries between mandates established in 1919 are also marked, and an inset locates the region within Africa.

European penetration into western Africa in the late 19th century

Map showing the penetration into western Africa by European countries in the late...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Africa showing the territorial divisions and colonial possessions by European powers from the late 19th to early 20th century. Countries and regions are color-coded to indicate British, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Belgian, and German control, with independent countries and British-Egyptian condominium also marked. The map highlights the extent and timing of colonization, with most of the continent under European rule except for Ethiopia and Liberia.

Colonization of Africa by European countries

Map showing the colonization of Africa by European countries in the 19th and early...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Senegalese Pres. Léopold Senghor addressing the United Nations General Assembly, 1961

Senegalese Pres. Léopold Senghor addressing the United Nations General Assembly, 1961

United Nations Photograph

Senegalese politician Abdou Diouf, pictured here in 1988, served as president of Senegal from 1981 to 2000

Senegalese politician Abdou Diouf, pictured here in 1988, served as president of Senegal from 1981 to 2000

Roland Godefroy

President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade speaks at a podium with the United Nations emblem, wearing a gray suit and red tie.

Senegalese Pres. Abdoulaye Wade at the United Nations, 2003

Michelle Poiré/UN Photo

The African Renaissance Monument in Dakar, Senegal, shows a towering bronze statue of a man, woman, and child atop a hill, with a long staircase and visitors below.

African Renaissance Monument

Unveiled in 2010 as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Senegal's...

© Kemaltaner/Dreamstime.com

Senegalese politician Macky Sall, pictured here in 2008, served as prime minister (2004–07) and president (2012–24) of Senegal

Senegalese politician Macky Sall, pictured here in 2008, served as prime minister (2004–07) and president (2012–24) of Senegal

© Rignese

Bassirou Diomaye Faye speaks at a podium labeled Diomaye President during his first press conference after winning Senegal's presidential election, with a Senegal flag beside him.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye

President-elect Bassirou Diomaye Faye speaking at a press conference after being...

© John Wessels—AFP/Getty Images

Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister of Senegal, stands at a podium in traditional attire addressing lawmakers in the National Assembly in Dakar.

Ousmane Sonko

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko addressing lawmakers in the National Assembly,...

© Seyllou—AFP/Getty Images

Senegal

Senegal

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of Senegal

The instrumental version of the national anthem of Senegal.

Interactives

Senegal: Religious affiliation

Senegal: Religious affiliation

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Senegal: Urban-rural

Senegal: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Senegal: Age breakdown

Senegal: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Senegal: Major import sources

Senegal: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Senegal: Major export destinations

Senegal: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Colonization of Africa: Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence

Learn about the colonization of Africa, the process of decolonization that led to...

© Encyclopaedia Britannica

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