The Republic of Senegal is a small country located In West Africa. Senegal covers 76,000 square miles and has an estimated population of about 13 million. The climate is tropical with two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The major industries in the country are fishing, sugar cane, peanuts, and mining. Senegal is a former French Colony. France took control of Senegal in 1677. Senegal was granted independence from France in 1960. The official language of Senegal is French. Most Senegalese people are nondenominational Muslims. The Portuguese were the first to land on the coast of Senegal in the mid 15th century. Various European powers such as Portugal, the Netherlands, and Great Britain, all competed for trade in the area from the 15th century onward. The Capital of Senegal, Dakar was a central trade hub. In 1677, France gained control of the island of Gorée next to modern Dakar, used as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland. During this time European missionaries introduced Christianity to the Senegalese. By the 1850’s France had expanded more into the mainland and decided to abolish slavery and introduce an abolitionist doctrine. On 4 April 1959 Senegal and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation. The Mali Federation became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and the transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4,1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up on 20 August, when Senegal and French Sudan each proclaimed independence. Senegal is a republic with a presidency. The president is elected every five years as of 2001, previously being seven years, by adult voters. Senegal has more than 80 political parties. The bicameral parliament consists of the National Assembly, which has 120 seats, and the Senate, which has 100 seats and was reinstituted in 2007. An independent judiciary also exists in Senegal. The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council and the court of justice, members of which are named by the president. Senegal has a quasi-democratic political culture, trying to be one of the more successful post-colonial democratic transitions in Africa. Local administrators are appointed by, and responsible to, the president. Senegal is subdivided into 14 regions, each run by a Regional Council elected by population weight. After its economy contracted by 2.1 percent in 1993 Senegal instigated a major economic reform program. This reform began with a 50 percent devaluation of the country's currency. Government price controls and subsidies were also dismantled. As a result, Senegal's inflation went down, investment went up, and the gross domestic product rose approximately 5 percent per year between 1995 and 2001.
The main industries include food processing, mining, cement, artificial fertilizer, chemicals, textiles, refining imported petroleum, and tourism. Exports include fish, chemicals, cotton, fabrics, groundnuts, and calcium phosphate. The principal foreign market is India at 26.7 percent of exports. Senegal has a 12-mile exclusive fishing zone. Senegal realized full Internet connectivity in 1996, creating a mini-boom in information technology-based services. Private activity now accounts for 82 percent of its GDP. Senegal is a major recipient of international development assistance. Senegal has a population estimated at 13-13.5 million people most of whom live in rural areas. Senegal has a wide variety of ethnic groups and, as in most West African countries, several languages are widely spoken. The Wolof are the largest single ethnic group in Senegal at 43 percent; the Fula and Toucouleur (also known as Halpulaar'en, literally "Pulaar-speakers") (24%) are the second biggest group, followed by the Serer (14.7%),then others such as Jola (4%), Mandinka (3%), Maures or (Naarkajors), Soninke, Bassari and many smaller communities (9%). About 50,000