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FACT FILE
| Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic
Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania |
| Geographic coordinates: |
14 00 N, 14 00 W |
| Area: |
total: 196,190 sq km
land: 192,000 sq
km
water: 4,190 sq
km |
| Area - comparative: |
slightly smaller than South Dakota |
| 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 |
| Maritime claims: |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf:
200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic
zone: 200 NM
territorial sea:
12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to
November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April)
dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind |
| Terrain: |
generally low, rolling, plains rising to
foothills in southeast |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m |
| Natural resources: |
fish, phosphates, iron ore |
| Land use: |
arable land: 12%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
16%
forests and woodland:
54%
other: 18% (1993
est.) |
| Irrigated land: |
710 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural hazards: |
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts |
| Environment - current
issues: |
wildlife populations threatened by poaching;
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing |
| Environment - international
agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not
ratified: Marine Dumping |
| Geography - note: |
The Gambia is almost an enclave of Senegal |
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Capital: Dakar
Area: 196 200 km²
Population: 8 532 000
Currency: 1 US$ = 600 CFA
GDP: 134/1 596$
HDI : 160/326
CPI : 55/3.3
Languages: French, Wolof, Fulani, Serer, Dioula
Ethnic groups: Wolof 44%, Fulani & Tukulor 24%, Serer 15%, Diola
5%, Malinke 4%
Religions: Muslim 90%, Christian 6%, Animist 4%
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