Senegal Country & Tourist Information

Location
West Africa.

Area
196,722 sq km (75,955 sq miles).

Population
10.6 million (UN, 2005).

Population Density
53.88 per sq km.

Capital
Dakar.
Population: 2.51 million (est. 2005).

Government
Republic since 1963. Gained independence from France in 1960. 
Head of State: President Abdoulaye Wade since 2000.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Macky Sall since 2004.
Recent history: President Wade won re-election in February 2007, having originally come to power in 2000. He won 56% of the votes cast, avoiding the need for a second-round ballot.

Language
The official language is French. There are many local languages, the principal one being Wolof. Other groups include Peul, Serer and Diola.

Religion
Around 94 per cent Muslim, 4 per cent Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with some Protestants), and a minority holds traditional beliefs.

Time
GMT.

Electricity
230 volts AC, 50Hz.

Telephone
Country code: 221.

Mobile Telephone
Mobile phone coverage is limited to the main cities and tourist areas. Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in Dakar, Saint Louis and other major towns.

Media
Senegal’s constitution guarantees freedom of the news media, although there are laws prohibiting reports that discredit the state or incite disorder. Still, the country has traditionally enjoyed a liberal media climate, and private media frequently criticize the government. In recent years, however, there has been a number of attacks on journalists, and a Radio France Internationale correspondent covering the Casamance issue was expelled in 2004. Publications must be registered, but foreign publications circulate freely and multichannel pay-TV is readily available.

Post
Airmail to Europe takes between seven and 10 days, and surface mail between two and six weeks.

Press
Le Soleil (website: www.lesoleil.sn) is a state-owned daily, while Sud Quotidien (website: www.sudonline.sn), L’Info, Wal Fadjri (website: www.walf.sn) and Le Matin are privately published.

Radio
The RTS also operates the Chaine Nationale and Chaine Internationale networks, the capital’s 94.5 FM and Dakar FM, as well as four regional services. Sud FM is a private station available in Dakar and other cities. Radio Nostalgie is a Dakar-based private station. Sept FM is a private Dakar station operated by Groupe Com 7, while Walf FM is operated by Groupe Wal Fadjri. BBC World Service and Radio France Internationale are available on FM in Dakar.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
20 Jan Tamkarit (Islamic New Year).
29 Jan Tamkharit (Ashoura).
31 Mar Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday.
4 Apr Independence Day.
9 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
17 May Ascension.
28 May Whit Monday.
15 Aug Assumption.
13 Oct Korité (End of Ramadan).
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
20 Dec Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
10 Jan Tamkarit (Islamic New Year).
19 Jan Tamkharit (Ashoura).
20 Mar Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday.
24 Mar Easter Monday.
4 Apr Independence Day. 
1 May Labor Day.
1 May Ascension. 
12 May Whit Monday.
15 Aug Assumption.
2 Oct Korité (End of Ramadan). 
1 Nov All Saints’ Day. 
9 Dec Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25 Dec Christmas Day. 
29 Dec Tamkarit (Islamic New Year).

Note
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Korité (Eid al-Fitr), Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Korité itself. Korité and Tabaski (Eid al-Adha) may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Contact Information:

Ministère du Tourisme (Ministry of Tourism)
23 rue Calmette, BP 4049, Dakar, Senegal
Tel: 822 9226.
Website: www.tourisme-senegal.com

Embassy of the Republic of Senegal in the UK
39 Marloes Road, London W8 6LA, UK
Tel: (020) 7937 7237 or 7938 4048.
Website: www.senegalembassy.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700; 1000-1330 (visa applications).

Embassy of the Republic of Senegal in the USA
2112 Wyoming Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Tel: (202) 234 0540 or 0541.
Website: www.senegalembassy-us.org

Bureau Sénégalais du Tourisme (Senegal Tourist Office) in the USA
350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3118, New York, NY 10118, USA
Tel: (212) 279 1953.
Website: www.senegal-tourism.com


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