History

Geography

Economy

Culture

Senegalese pictures

Economy

Senegal has the third economy of the African western area after Nigeria and the Ivory Coast. Its economy is very turned towards Europe and India. Its principal economic partners are France, India, Italy. However, for several years, China has been a partner more and more growing as testifies the tops China Africa to them. Compared with the other countries of the African continent, Senegal is very low in natural resources, its principal receipts coming from fishing and tourism. But taking into account its geographical situation and of its political stability, Senegal belongs to the African countries most industrialized with the presence of multinationals which are mainly of origin French and to a lesser extent American. The agricultural sector employs about 70% of the population. Moreover, senegalese agriculture is very sensitive to the climatic risks and the invasions.

Senegal is a member of the western Union economic and monetary African.

Fishing constitutes the principal source of currencies in Senegal.

Tourism

Reserves and National Parks

The parks and natural reserves account for 8% of the territory. They play a major part in the protection of the environment and contribute significantly to tourist rise.

In these protected surfaces there are 169 mammal species and 540 bird species.

Senegal has six national parks: the National Park of Niokolo-Koba in the east of the country; the Birds National Park of Djoudj and the National Park of the Barbarian Language in the area of Saint-Louis; the National Park of Madeleine Islands in Dakar; the National Park of the Saloum Delta in the south, as well as the National Park of Low-Casamance, which was closed a few years ago because of the disorders in the area.

The country also has thirty natural reserves of smaller size, such as the Reserve of Guembeul, the Reserve of Bandia, the Natural Reserve of Popenguine or the Marine Surface protected by Bamboung.

Fishing

Importance of fishing in the national economy

Senegal is located in one the rich fishing zones of Africa. Fishing is an old and traditional activity which has a great importance on cultural, social and economic levels and plays an important role in human consumption.

Fishing plays a strategic role in the national economy through its important contribution to the GDP, the contribution in currencies, the significant number of generated employment. Fishing products constitute one of the principal export resources. The total export volume grows constantly, going to various destinations in Africa, in Europe, and to the Americas.

The artisanal fishing sector is particularly important in terms of employment and production.

Exterior and interior trade

The products are sold locally (in markets) or in the interior of the country by traders who supply themselves on the spot, particularly to export to African and Asian countries. The external request is increasing and is directed to products which are not consumed in Senegal (dirtied, smoked fish). This market trend is very important because the artisanal transformation is not in competition with fresh consumption and constitutes a specific market for artisanal fishing.