Population, GDP, natural resources, leaders and history of Senegal: the Magna Factbook country file, with its Magna grade (MCB, ranked #116 of 195).
Senegal is a presidential republic in Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania. The country's capital is Dakar; it covers 196,722 sq km. Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France); 20 August 1960 (full independence after federation with Mali is dissolved). Terrain: generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast. Climate: tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind. Population: 18.8 million (2024 estimate). Population growth: +2.40% per year. Median age: 19.4 years. Life expectancy: 70.6 years (2024 est.). Languages: French (…
| Capital | Dakar |
|---|---|
| Population | 18,847,519 (2024 est.) |
| GDP (PPP) | $83.183 billion (2024 est.) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | $4,500 (2024 est.) |
| Real GDP growth | 6.9% (2024 est.) |
| Inflation | 0.8% |
| Unemployment | 3.0% |
| Public debt | 47.8% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Exports | $7.001 billion (2023 est.) |
| Imports | $14.916 billion (2023 est.) |
| Life expectancy | 70.6 years (2024 est.) |
| Median age | 19.4 |
| Urbanization | 49.6% of total population (2023) |
| Government | presidential republic |
| Independence | 4 April 1960 (from France); 20 August 1960 (full independence after federation with Mali is dissolved) |
| Languages | French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke |
MCB · 46/100 — The Magna grade is our 0–100 composite of structural national power — five dimensions, 100+ indicators. It is the Bureau's own assessment, not a mirror of World Bank or CIA figures.
Momentum 0 — Quarterly momentum: the Bureau's read on the country's trajectory over the last quarter, from −10 (deteriorating fast) to +10 (accelerating).
A neutral quarter in the truest sense: nothing happened that altered the country's course or standing.
The score records absence of momentum honestly — the deeper currents continue, unmoved by the calendar.
Phosphates, Iron ore.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye — President. President Bassirou Diomaye FAYE (since 2 April 2024)
Senegal maintains 50 embassies and 12 consulates abroad, hosts 79 foreign diplomatic missions, holds permanent missions to UN New York, AU Addis Ababa. The breadth of a diplomatic network is a direct measure of diplomatic power — it shows how far a country’s influence, alliances and interests reach.
| Embassies abroad | 50 |
|---|---|
| Consulates abroad | 12 |
| Foreign missions hosted | 79 |
| Multilateral missions | UN New York, AU Addis Ababa |
Source: Consular Affairs Center, Diplomatic and Consular Networks Database and Rankings, January 2026 (Zenodo, CC BY 4.0). https://zenodo.org/records/18109976
Transport networks are economic power made physical — ports, runways, railways and pipelines decide what a country can move, sell and defend.
| Sea access | Coastal — 531 km of coastline. |
|---|---|
| Airports (total) | 20 (registration prefix 6V) |
| Major seaports | Dakar, Karabane, Lyndiane, M'bao Oil Terminal, Rufisque, St. Louis |
| Railways | 906 km |
| Pipelines | 43 km gas, 8 km refined products (2017) |
Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) — Dakar; Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport (DKR) — Dakar; Cap Skirring Airport (CSK) — Cap Skirring; Ziguinchor Airport (ZIG) — Ziguinchor.
Sources: OurAirports public-domain extract (2026-10-02); per-entry Wikipedia links included; CIA World Factbook via cia_factbook snapshot (2026-09-28); theodora.com CIA mirror (CIA World Factbook Transportation section), scraped 2026-10-02
| Political system | presidential republic |
|---|---|
| Next election | No election currently scheduled. |
MCB · 46 Ranked #116 of 195 countries in the Magna Country Rankings. Full ranking breakdown for Senegal.
Historical timeline of Senegal
