Senegal was ruled by the socialist party of senegal, first under president leopold sedar senghor, and then president abdou diouf, for 40 years until abdoulaye wade was elected president in 2000. Establishment of diplomatic relations and the american embassy in senegal, 1960. The prime minister is answerable to the president of the republic and the parliament, under the conditions provided for in articles 85 and 86 of the constitution. They elect a president every 7 years as the head of state who, in turn, appoints a prime minister to head a government. The government of senegal is known and respected for its able diplomats and has often supported the u. It examines political reactions to the arts in senegal and compares and contrasts the respective cultural policies of president leopold sedar senghor and president abdou diouf. A virtual guide to senegal, a country on the coast of west africa, bordering the north atlantic ocean in west. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of senegal 2020 information contained here. Executive power in senegal is concentrated in the presidents hands.
Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. It is here that the sand dunes of the north african desert. Senegals population from 1962 to 2004 the list of complaints of saintlouis du senegal 1789 monument near the maison des esclaves on goree island. Senegal chiefs of state and cabinet members infoplease. State surveillance and social welfare the routledge. To lessen the dependence upon peanuts as a crop the government has encouraged the development of cotton production.
After senegal gained independence in 1960, the senegalese government was headed by the socialist party ps until the presidential elections of march 2000. Other aspects of senegalese culture have traveled into the larger world as well, most notably senghors espousal of negritude a literary movement that flourished in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s and that emphasized african values and heritage. Senegal is a democracy where people can vote in elections at age 18. The fishing industry of senegal is of major and growing importance. The information regarding senegal on this page is republished from the 2020 world fact book of the united states central intelligence agency and other sources. The history of senegal is commonly divided into a number of periods, encompassing the. Senegal is a member of the economic community of west african states ecowas. Senegal has had four presidents in its history, with power transferred peacefully between each administration.
History of senegal lonely planet travel information. An important element in the politics of senegal is the fact that its territory surrounds the gambia. History of economic development throughout the latter part of the 19th century, the area that now comprises the country of senegal, along with several other regions in west africa, came under the colonial domination of france. The current president, abdoulaye wade, represents the democratic party, though the socialist party still dominates the national assembly. Diplomatic relations were established with the republic of senegal on september 24, 1960, when the american embassy at dakar in the republic of senegal was established, with roswell d. The president, who is the head of state, is directly elected to a sevenyear term fiveyear from 2019 and is eligible for a second term. Note that for some countries more than one definition applies. This strategy, named plan for an emerging senegal pes, forms the reference framework for the countrys economic and social policy over the mid and longterm.
Senegal enjoys an excellent relationship with the united states. Mali, india, and nigeria also carry on a considerable trade with the country. Senegal has an extensive history dating back to precolonial societies recounted. Relations with senegal united states department of state. The wolof nature of senegals political structures is not seriously in.
If thats not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags. The 2001 constitution provides for a strongly centralized presidential regimethe head of state and government is the president, who is elected by direct universal adult suffrage and can be elected to two sevenyear terms. Senegal went from periodic shortages of rice to producing a competitive product on. The book covers physical and political geography, political history, social and political conditions, and economic conditions. The political economy of senegal under structural adjustment. Thus the real question is not why diouf conceded to the will of the people, but why senegal is such an unusually democratic african country. Senegals museum of black civilizations welcomes some. The colony came under british control at times but was restored to france in 1814. Chiefs of state and cabinet members of foreign governments date of information. Facts and statistics about the government type of senegal. Those claims were entirely fictitious in terms of political history, as the. Cia world fact book, 2004senegal wikisource, the free.
The government conducts and coordinates national policy under the leadership of the prime minister. The countrys fourth and current president, macky sall, was elected in 2012. From 1981, when senegalese troops help to suppress a coup in the gambia, there is an attempted federation of the the two nations. Allafrica is a voice of, by and about africa aggregating, producing and distributing 900 news and information items daily from over 140 african news organizations and our own reporters to an. The portuguese founded dakar in 1444, as a base for the export of slaves. The largest rivers include the senegal in the north and the casamance in the southern tropical climate region.
In 1888, alarmed by french influence in senegal, britain seized the river and the land on both sides of it. Senegal has a mixed economic system in which the presence of the state in the economy is considerable, but there is limited private sector freedom. In 1901, legislative and executive councils were established for the. The region of modern senegal was a part of the larger region called upper guinea by european traders. The casamance region of senegal is marked in red on this senegal map. They unite in 1982 for many aspects of government, under the name senegambia. Senegal time line chronological timetable of events. The united states established diplomatic relations with senegal in 1960, following its independence from france and the dissolution of the mali federation. Arrival of blaise diagne, deputy for senegal, high commissioner of the government for the. Felwine sarr, the coauthor of the french restitution report who is senegalese, said the government of senegal would soon formally ask for the restitution of the. This book explores the dynamic relationship between politics and the arts in the planning and implementation of senegalese cultural policy since 1960. The senegal was discovered by navigators from dieppe in the fourteenth century.
In 1888, the colony regained its own government structure, and in 1894 the gambia colony, and protectorate was properly established along the lines it would continue to hold until independence. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of senegal government 2020 information contained here. More information about senegal is available from the department of state and other sources, some of which are listed here. In the early 16th century, portuguese traders made contact with coastal kingdoms, and became the first in a long line of interested foreigners. List of books and articles about senegal history online research. Political scientists have focused on the countrys integration of african socialism. Senegal is governed by a semipresidential, democratic republic, in which the prime minister is the head of government and the president is the head of state. Politics in senegal takes place within the framework of a presidential democratic republic. The first constitution of senegal was promulgated in 1963 and revised through march 1998. The constitution of senegal is divided into these headings. The political economy of senegal under structural adjustment by.
It is bordered by mauritania along the senegal river in north, by mali in east, by guinea and guineabissau in south, and it encloses the gambia, a narrow nation along both banks of the gambia river. The state and the sovereignty, public liberties and the person, the president of the republic, opposition, relationship between the legislative power and the executive power, the judicial power, international treaties and agreements, and amendments. However, poor infrastructure, longstanding underinvestment, and an inhibiting policy environment continue to challenge growth. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. In the past decade, senegal has progressed significantly both economically and politically as a moderate, democratic, predominantly muslim country in fragile west africa. History senegal was part of the ghana empire in the 8th century and the djolof kingdom, in the area between the senegal river and modernday dakar, during the th and 14th centuries. This is a place where the great issues and contradictions of africas past resonate through the present. Senegal maintains an embassy in the united states at 2215 m st nw, washington, dc tel. In 1582 a french company established a factory at the mouth of the senegal, which became. Government senegal is governed under the constitution of 2001 as amended. Africa senegal the world factbook central intelligence. During the 17 th and 18 th centuries, senegal s economy was based primarily upon the exports of ivory, gold and slaves.
Feb 27, 2020 senegal is home to several internationally renowned musicians and artists. A new book about the history, migration, and government of. Senegal history, language and culture history of senegal. Senegal, like other west african nations, has phosphate deposits but it suffers from a lack of capital to develop these deposits. Senegal makes headway on gender equality but not everyone is happy a gender parity law has given women a significant parliamentary presence. To this end, the government has initiated the disruptive changes that today allow senegal to follow a new development path. A new constitution, approved by voters in january 2001 and since amended, proclaims fundamental human rights. The toucouleur people, among the early inhabitants of senegal, converted to islam in the 11th century, although their religious beliefs retained strong elements of animism. Since the advent of civilization, humans have had an impulse to form governments. Other muslims chose to cooperate with the french, and even gain positions of power within the french government. Using data from a survey of rural senegalese citizens, this is the first study to empirically test the effects of nfe on political participation and attitudes. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows.
Senegal art and culture, tourism, goree island, the last door for slave exit, find. Infoplease has everything you need to know about senegal. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about senegal s geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. People and tradition, goree island, tourism information, government and economy alvin, emmanuel on. Two other major political entities were formed and grew during the th and 14th century. In the absence of written sources and monumental ruins in this region, the history of the early centuries of the modern era must be based primarily on archaeological excavations, the writing of early geographers and travelers, written in arabic and data derived from oral tradition. It is especially for people who know little or nothing about bassa government. Senegal was the only colony in black africa in which the french used assimilationist tactics, allowing elite senegalese citizenship and political power if they became assimilated into french culture. An abridged history of senegal situated in the westernmost part of africa, senegal includes a desert in the north and a tropical climate in the south.
Senegal is home to several internationally renowned musicians and artists. By the french government decree of october 18, 1904, senegal became part of. Senegal political governance and democracy, a history, senegal. Other aspects of senegalese culture have traveled into the larger world as well, most notably senghors espousal of negritudea literary movement that flourished in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s and that emphasized african values and heritage. On august 20, 1960, it became the capital of senegal. This book examines the role of nonformal education nfe in african languages in promoting democracy in senegal. Senegal government flags, maps, economy, geography.
The history of senegal is commonly divided into a number of periods, encompassing the prehistoric era, the precolonial period, colonialism, and the contemporary era. Senegal government flags, maps, economy, geography, climate, natural resources, current issues, international agreements, population, social statistics, political. Senegals history since independence is one of strong central government, due in part to the french gaullist legacy and in part to the initial need for a strong central government to build the. History, language and culture in senegal world travel guide. By the french government decree of october 18, 1904, senegal became part of the government general of west africa.
As a french colony until 1960, senegal based its economy on the exportation of peanuts. Dakar came under french rule in 1872 and was the capital of the mali federation for a year after 1959. Tourism information, government and economy paperback november 7, 2016. The senegambian confederation, established in 1982 after senegalese troops had intervened to help deal with an attempted coup, was a loose arrangement bringing benefits to. Finally, this book is intended to present a full picture of usefulness and practicality of the bassa government to the people of the world. The gambias location, enclosed by senegal, has suggested the benefits of some form of union between the countries. Discover librarianselected research resources on senegal history from the questia online. List of books and articles about senegal history online. Senegal timeline covering an arranged chronological timetable of key events within a particular historical period by. It is an experiment thousands of years in the making. The current constitution was adopted in january 2001 by the referendum, after many changes. The first president of senegal at independence in 1960 was leopold sedar senghor.
Or, historical, philosophical, and political memoirs, relative to the discoveries. The government home the presidency the institutions the government the prime minister is answerable to the president of the republic and the parliament, under the conditions provided for in articles 85 and 86 of the constitution. The casamance war in senegal 19822014 the long war in the casamance region of senegal pitted the jolo people of the casamance region against the government of senegal. The book covers physical and political geography, political history, social and. Senegal is a secular republic with a strong presidency, bicameral legislature. Absolute monarchy a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i. This course asks a lot of fundamental questions about the nature of government and society.
Senegal politics, government, and taxation, information. The president of senegal is the head of state and government. If the book appears tall, it is because it is based on the teachings of the bassa and their ideals. This page provides senegal government budget actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.
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