Senegal (2005) | Cayman Islands (2002) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,404,461/female 2,360,167)
15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,901,689/female 3,122,854) 65 years and over: 3% (male 161,173/female 176,488) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 22% (male 3,836; female 4,156)
15-64 years: 69.7% (male 12,335; female 12,929) 65 years and over: 8.3% (male 1,399; female 1,618) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming |
Airports | 20 (2004 est.) | 3 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq km water: 4,190 sq km |
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than South Dakota | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. |
Birth rate | 35.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 13.45 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.572 billion
expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $357 million (2004 est.) |
revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Dakar | George Town |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
Coastline | 531 km | 160 km |
Constitution | new constitution adopted 7 January 2001 | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Currency | - | Caymanian dollar (KYD) |
Death rate | 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $3.476 billion (2004 est.) | $70 million (1996) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Alan ROTH
embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar telephone: [221] 823-4296 FAX: [221] 822-2991 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315 consulate(s) general: New York |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem Senegalese citizens from the Casamance region fleeing separatist violence, cross border raids, and arms smuggling | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $362.6 million (2002 est.) | $NA |
Economy - overview | In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic reform program with the support of the international donor community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in 1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during 1995-2003. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. Senegal still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance, however. Under the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries debt relief program, Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its bilateral, multilateral, and private sector debt. | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.615 billion kWh (2002) | 330.15 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 1.737 billion kWh (2002) | 355 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
Environment - current issues | wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling | - |
Ethnic groups | Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4% | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
Exchange rates | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000) | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term under new constitution; election last held under prior constitution (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19 March 2000 (next to be held February 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou DIOUF (PS) 41.51% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA December 2001) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; the chief secretary is appointed by the governor |
Exports | NA | $1.2 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners | India 14.4%, Mali 13.1%, France 9.8%, Italy 7.3%, Spain 6.6%, Guinea-Bissau 5.6%, Gambia, The 4.8% (2004) | mostly US |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.18 billion (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 15.9%
industry: 21.4% services: 62.7% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 3% services: 95% (1994 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $30,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.2% (2004 est.) | 4.5% (2000) |
Geographic coordinates | 14 00 N, 14 00 W | 19 30 N, 80 30 W |
Geography - note | westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal | important location between Cuba and Central America |
Highways | total: 14,576 km
paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways unpaved: 10,305 km (2000) |
total: 406 km
paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1995) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit cultivator of cannabis | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe |
Imports | NA | $457.4 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | food and beverages, capital goods, fuels | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | France 24.8%, Nigeria 11.9%, Thailand 6.1% (2004) | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan |
Independence | 4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4.7% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Industries | agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship construction and repair | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Infant mortality rate | total: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 59.17 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
9.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.8% (2004 est.) | 2.3% (2000) (2000) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 710 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial system was reformed in 1992 | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 4.65 million (2004 est.) | 19,820 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 70% | agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1995) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 12.78%
permanent crops: 0.21% other: 87.01% (2001) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka | English |
Legal system | based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | British common law and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001, had 140 seats elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 58.9 years
male: 57.37 years female: 60.47 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 79.18 years
male: 76.38 years female: 81.59 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 40.2% male: 50% female: 30.7% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,034,181 GRT/3,191,597 DWT
ships by type: bulk 24, cargo 4, chemical tanker 34, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 40, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3, Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United States 35 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | Army, Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Air Force (2005) | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $107.3 million (2004) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.5% (2004) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 4 April (1960) | Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
Nationality | noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Senegalese |
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
Natural hazards | lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts | hurricanes (July to November) |
Natural resources | fish, phosphates, iron ore | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | 0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 12.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 564 km (2004) | - |
Political parties and leaders | African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE]; Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader NA]; United Democratic Party [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers | NA |
Population | 11,126,832 (July 2005 est.) | 36,273 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 54% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.48% (2005 est.) | 2.03% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Dakar | Cayman Brac, George Town |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 36,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 906 km
narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2004) |
0 km |
Religions | Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic) | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 0.86 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: good system
domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 228,800 (2003) | 19,000 (1995) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 575,900 (2003) | 2,534 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 with cable system |
Terrain | generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
Total fertility rate | 4.75 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 2.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.) | 4.1% (1997) |
Waterways | 1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2003) | none |