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Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Senegal River in West Africa. It is washed by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It borders Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the east and south.
The Gambia is surrounded by Senegal, while the Cape Verde Islands are located 560 km off the coast of Senegal. The country has an area of ??196,722 square kilometers, and a population of 16,705,608 according to an official estimate for 2020.
Archaeological finds in the area prove that Senegal has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Islam, the main religion in Senegal, reached the region in the 11th century AD. Nowadays, 95% of Senegalese are Muslims.
Many European powers came to the region from the 15th century onwards, until France took control of Senegal, which was considered a strategic port for the slave trade. Senegal declared its independence from France on April 4, 1960, which is its national anniversary.
On February 1, 1982, Senegal and the Gambia formed a confederation known as Senegambia, which was dissolved in 1989. Abdou Diouf was president from 1981 to 2000.
Senegal is located in western Africa. The northern border is formed by the Senegal River, while the capital Dakar is located on the Cape Verde Peninsula, the westernmost point of mainland Africa.
The local climate is tropical: specific seasons of drought and humidity, formed by the southeast winds in winter and the southwest winds in summer.
The average highest temperature is around 27  C, while from December to February the lowest temperature is observed, around 17  C.