Republic of Senegal
République du Sénégal
CAPITAL: Dakar
FLAG: The flag is a tricolor of green, yellow, and red vertical stripes; at the center of the yellow stripe is a green star.
ANTHEM: Begins "Pincez, tous, vos koras, frappez les balafons" ("Pluck your koras, strike the balafons").
MONETARY UNIT: The Communauté Financière Africaine franc (CFA Fr) is the national currency. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 CFA francs, and notes of 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 CFA francs. CFA Fr1 = $0.00167 (or $1 = CFA Fr 597.577) as of May 2003.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard.
HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Independence Day, 4 April; Labor Day, 1 May; Day of Association, 14 July; Assumption, 15 August; All Saints' Day, 1 November; Christmas, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include 'Id al-Fitr, 'Id al-'Adha', Milad an-Nabi, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension, and Pentecost Monday.
TIME: GMT.
French, the official language, is the language of administration and of the schools. Indigenous languages are also widely spoken, the major ones being Wolof, Pulaar, Diola, and Mandingo.
Government reports indicate that about 94% of the people are Muslim, with members of the Tijaniya and Muridiya brotherhoods having great social, political, and economic influence. About 4% of Senegalese are Christians, including Roman Catholics and a number of Protestant denominations. The remaining 2% practice exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion at all.
Senegal has a flourishing fishing industry, and Dakar is one of the most important Atlantic tuna ports. In 2000, fish exports amounted to $260.3 million. The total catch in 2000 was 402,047 tons, 28% of it round sardinella and 29% Madeiran sardinella.
Senegal has about 6.2 million hectares (15.3 million acres) of classified forest, most of it in the Casamance region. Timber production is small, with firewood and charcoal being the most important forest products. About 5,908,000 cu m (208 million cu ft) of roundwood was cut in 2000, of which about 86% went for fuel. Senegal is highly vulnerable to declining rainfall and desertification.
As of 1997, at least 14 companies provided insurance in Senegal. Third-party motor insurance is compulsory.
Senegal has no territories or colonies.