Senegal
General Information for Senegal
Geo-political:
Capital City: Dakar.
Nationality: (noun) Senegalese, (adjective) Senegalese.
Population: 13,711,597.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 221.
Number of Internal Airports: 10.
Major Languages Spoken: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka.
Economy:
Currency: 1 CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF) of 100 Centimes.
Main Industries: Agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertiliser production, petroleum
refining, iron ore, zircon, gold mining, construction materials and ship construction
and repair.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Continental Shelf: 200 n.m. or to the edge of the continental
margin. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 531 km.
Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry
season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind.
Natural Resources: Fish, phosphates and iron ore.
Natural Hazards: Lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts.
Terrain: Generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 27° C | 18° C |
| June | 30° C | 23° C |
| September | 32° C | 23° C |
MEDICAL:
Health facilities in Dakar are reasonable but are limited in the rest of Senegal.
Make sure you have adequate health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost
of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
There is risk of Zika virus transmission in Senegal. Malaria, Dengue fever and other
tropical diseases are common in Senegal, especially during the rainy season (June-September).
There are occasional outbreaks of cholera.
The UNAIDS 2014 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic estimated that around 44,000 adults
aged 15 or over in Senegal were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated
at around 0.5% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults
in the UK of around 0.25%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure
to HIV/AIDS.
HOLIDAYS:
1 January (New Year's Day); Easter Monday; 4 April (Independence Day); 1 May (Labour
Day); Ascension Day; Whit Monday; Konte (End of Ramadan); 15 August (Assumption Day);
22 August (Tabaski, Feast of Sacrifice); 20 September (Tamkharit); 28 October (Grand
Magal of Touba); 1 November (All Saints' Day); 20 November (Prophet Mohammed's Birthday);
25 December (Christmas Day).
CONSULS:
Contact details of foreign embassies and consulates available at
www.diplomatie.gouv.sn/ambassades-au-senegal
BANKS:
Credit cards are accepted in larger business establishments. You should be aware that
a commission is added for their use. There are ATM facilities in Dakar, but banking
facilities are sporadic in the rest of the country.
Also see "
General".
SHORE LEAVE:
Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Senegal. Attacks could be indiscriminate,
including in places visited by foreigners. Avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings
of people.
The Casamance region has suffered for decades from low intensity separatist violence,
largely directed at Senegalese security forces. While the security situation has improved
significantly since 2012, there are occasionally violent incidents. On 7 January 2018,
13 Senegalese nationals were killed, and a further seven injured in an attack by gunmen
in the Casamance region in the south of Senegal. The incident took place in the forest
of Boffa-Bayotte, in the departement of Ziguinchor.
There’s a lower level of risk in the main tourist areas of the Casamance.
You should be vigilant when travelling in the Casamance region to the west of Kolda,
and where possible you should avoid travelling at night, and stick to the main road
from Ziguinchor to Cap Skirring and the main road north of the Guinea-Bissau/Senegal
border from Sao Domingos to Ziguinchor.
Pickpocketing and street crime, including in taxis and occasionally violent, are common
in parts of Dakar, particularly around Place de l’Independence, the central area of
the Plateau and the Western Corniche. This type of crime is especially common in the
run up to religious festivals. Recent examples have included attackers grabbing bags
whilst driving scooters or motorbikes. You should take sensible precautions, avoid
walking alone in the late afternoon and after dark, and avoid carrying valuables in
public.
If you’re expecting a greeter or driver to collect you at the airport, make sure they
properly identify themselves before you set off. Fake greeters are known to operate
at the airport.
Local laws reflect the fact that Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country. You should
respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of
your actions so that they don’t offend others, especially during the holy month of
Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas.
You should dress and behave modestly in public outside the main tourist areas. Bars
and restaurants usually serve alcoholic drinks but drunkenness is considered offensive.
Kissing as a greeting is acceptable but kissing romantically in public is not.
There is no gay scene in Senegal and article 319 of the penal code states that ``an
indecent or unnatural act with an individual of the same sex is punishable by 1-5
years imprisonment''.
GENERAL:
Up-to-date information can be obtained from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.
www.gov.uk/fco
