Demographics of Senegal

Demographic features of the population of Senegal include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Demographics of Senegal
Population pyramid of Senegal in 2020
Population17,923,036 (2022 est.)
Growth rate2.57% (2022 est.)
Birth rate31.51 births/1,000 population
Death rate5.08 deaths/1,000 population
Life expectancy69.96 years
 • male68.23 years
 • female71.77 years
Fertility rate4.27 children
Infant mortality rate32.44 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Sex ratio
Total0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
At birth1.05 male(s)/female
Nationality
NationalitySenegalese
Language
OfficialFrench

About 42% of Senegal's population is rural. In rural areas, population density varies from about 77 per square kilometer (200/mile²) in the west-central region to 2 per square kilometer (5/mile²) in the arid eastern section. The average population density for the country is 68 people per square kilometer (180 people/sq mi).[1] French is the official language but is used regularly only by the literate minority. Almost all Senegalese speak an indigenous language, of which Wolof has the largest usage. Many Senegalese live in Europe, particularly in France, Italy and Spain.

Population

Demographics of Senegal, From UN estimates; Number of inhabitants in millions.

According to the 2018 revision of the World Population Review[1] the total population was 16,302,789 in May 2018, compared to only 2,416,000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2017 was 41.5%, between 15 and 54 years of age was 31.1%, while 55 years or older was 6.9%.[2]

Total populationPopulation aged 0–14 (%)Population aged 15–64 (%)Population aged 65+ (%)
19502,416,00041.655.03.4
19552,684,00041.555.62.9
19603,048,00041.955.52.6
19653,505,00043.054.62.4
19704,096,00044.353.52.3
19754,786,00045.352.52.2
19805,414,00047.250.52.2
19856,232,00047.750.02.3
19907,242,00047.250.42.4
19958,369,00046.251.32.5
20009,506,00045.452.12.5
200510,872,00044.453.12.5
201012,434,00043.753.92.4
201714,668,52241.555.52.9

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (Estimates 1.VII.2020) (Data refer to national projections.):[3]

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total8 456 4868 504 04016 960 525100
0–41 373 7441 294 2572 668 00215.73
5–91 219 7361 146 7692 366 50513.95
10–141 066 7801 005 2572 072 03712.22
15–19919 100893 5991 812 70010.69
20–24762 949805 8771 568 8269.25
25–29640 669694 1251 334 7947.87
30–34527 920562 8521 090 7726.43
35–39433 152466 088899 2405.30
40–44335 430374 282709 7114.18
45–49278 289309 644587 9333.47
50–54244 474259 784504 2592.97
55–59200 080208 825408 9053.41
60–64149 832154 155303 9861.79
65–69112 949116 334229 2841.35
70–7480 35584 366164 7210.97
75-7952 03658 255110 2920.65
80+58 98869 570128 5580.76
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–143 660 2603 446 2837 106 54341.90
15–644 491 8984 729 2329 221 13054.37
65+304 328328 525632 8533.73

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events in Senegal is not complete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.[4]

Mid-year populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rate (TFR)Infant mortality (per 1000 births)Life expectancy (in years)
19502,496,065128,93570,14958,78651.728.123.56.79148.636.43
19512,561,152131,81371,37360,44051.527.923.66.79146.436.92
19522,628,508134,81272,65862,15451.327.723.76.79144.437.36
19532,698,414137,96073,51964,44151.227.323.96.80142.337.81
19542,771,247141,38474,40666,97851.126.924.26.82140.338.20
19552,847,262144,93575,13469,80151.026.424.56.83138.438.63
19562,926,572148,59375,94072,65350.826.024.96.86136.739.04
19573,008,862151,95176,95175,00050.625.625.06.89135.339.36
19583,093,941155,90378,33077,57350.525.325.16.92134.339.55
19593,182,056160,36879,82080,54850.525.125.36.96133.739.74
19603,273,177164,73581,54683,18950.424.925.47.00133.339.88
19613,367,082169,34283,61385,72950.424.925.57.04133.339.92
19623,463,524173,82686,01787,80950.324.925.47.08133.439.86
19633,562,469178,10188,19089,91150.124.825.37.12133.739.88
19643,664,599182,55290,46592,08749.924.725.27.16133.939.89
19653,770,874187,66392,99694,66749.824.725.17.19134.039.84
19663,881,994192,91795,10597,81249.824.525.27.22133.939.96
19673,997,869198,28797,316100,97149.724.425.37.24133.540.08
19684,117,659203,61899,372104,24649.524.225.47.25132.940.27
19694,240,859209,482101,478108,00449.524.025.57.26132.040.46
19704,367,744215,753103,029112,72449.523.625.97.26130.740.83
19714,498,616222,237104,511117,72649.523.326.27.26128.941.22
19724,633,452228,423105,472122,95149.422.826.67.26126.641.75
19734,772,039234,397105,414128,98349.222.127.17.26124.042.56
19744,911,421240,854105,802135,05249.021.527.57.25121.043.21
19755,047,922247,687105,209142,47849.020.828.27.25117.544.10
19765,181,195254,743104,054150,68949.120.029.07.26113.745.10
19775,308,297260,572102,502158,07048.919.229.77.27109.746.15
19785,433,225264,864100,615164,24948.618.530.17.28105.947.20
19795,564,474268,81398,791170,02248.217.730.57.29102.348.20
19805,703,869273,84397,249176,59447.917.030.97.2999.349.14
19815,852,029279,09396,624182,46947.616.531.17.2896.749.85
19826,008,392284,05996,003188,05647.215.931.27.2594.450.56
19836,171,874288,73295,783192,94946.715.531.27.1992.151.15
19846,341,801292,55994,444198,11546.014.931.27.1189.552.02
19856,520,705296,68393,381203,30245.414.331.17.0186.752.76
19866,710,885299,03890,601208,43744.513.531.06.9083.153.93
19876,909,837303,19488,930214,26443.812.931.06.7979.854.82
19887,113,636304,42886,919217,50942.812.230.56.5876.855.77
19897,321,832309,50586,161223,34442.211.830.56.4874.556.44
19907,536,001316,62086,250230,37042.011.430.56.4072.956.95
19917,754,289320,60187,599233,00241.311.330.06.2772.157.14
19927,974,514325,94689,871236,07540.811.329.66.1571.957.11
19938,196,551332,14792,654239,49340.511.329.26.0572.157.00
19948,416,997335,89195,143240,74839.811.328.65.9272.556.96
19958,632,681342,32497,963244,36139.611.328.35.8273.056.84
19968,843,423348,436101,013247,42339.311.427.95.7273.456.67
19979,051,539356,266103,620252,64639.311.427.85.6473.256.59
19989,261,526363,901106,679257,22239.211.527.75.5872.656.42
19999,478,564374,758108,241266,51739.411.428.05.5771.456.61
20009,704,287381,017108,766272,25139.211.228.05.5069.256.94
20019,938,027387,416107,728279,68838.910.828.15.4166.457.56
200210,180,950394,576106,349288,22738.710.428.25.3163.158.23
200310,434,504403,780103,869299,91138.69.928.75.2559.559.12
200410,698,691411,222101,255309,96738.49.428.95.1855.960.03
200510,974,057422,54798,881323,66638.49.029.45.1952.760.92
200611,263,387436,40696,823339,58338.78.630.15.2049.561.75
200711,563,869442,23594,763347,47238.28.230.05.1146.862.54
200811,872,929450,75893,168357,59037.97.830.15.0544.363.24
200912,195,029465,65891,835373,82338.17.530.65.0842.163.92
201012,530,121473,81990,265383,55437.77.230.65.0640.064.62
201112,875,880483,82488,945394,87937.56.930.65.0438.265.26
201213,231,833493,25089,885403,36537.26.830.45.0136.465.46
201313,595,566501,50788,577412,93036.86.530.34.9634.766.07
201413,970,308508,20388,400419,80336.36.330.04.9133.166.45
201514,356,181508,14787,797420,35035.46.129.24.7831.566.88
201614,751,356511,96086,228425,73234.75.828.84.6829.967.50
201715,157,793519,21286,790432,42234.25.728.54.6228.567.75
201815,574,909529,31486,967442,34734.05.628.44.5827.268.10
201916,000,781535,96886,623449,34533.55.428.14.5226.168.53
202016,436,120543,21991,832451,38733.05.627.54.4525.268.01
202116,876,720549,98499,995449,98932.65.926.74.3924.467.09

Fertility and births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[5][6]

YearCBR (Total)TFR (Total)CBR (Urban)TFR (Urban)CBR (Rural)TFR (Rural)
1980-827.46.37.9
1983-856.65.47.1
1992-9340.86.03 (5.1)37.45.06 (3.8)42.96,74 (5.9)
1997375,67 (4,6)314,29 (3,2)426,74 (5,6)
1999365,2303,9406,1
200539,35,3 (4,5)33,44,1 (3,3)44,06,4 (5,7)
2008–200937,34,933,44,040,15,8
2010–201137,45,0 (3,2)32,33,9 (2,6)41,66,0 (3,8)
2012–201338,65,332,94,142,76,3
201437.65.0 (3.7)33.44.0 (3.1)41.66.3 (4.4)
201535.74.9 (4.3)28.13.5 (3.1)41.56.1 (5.4)
201634.64.7 (4.2)27.23.5 (3.1)40.85.9 (5.2)
201733.74.6 (4.0)27.13.4 (3.0)39.25.9 (5.1)
201832.74.4 (4.0)27.23.2 (3.0)37.05.5 (5.0)
201934.04.729.23.837.85.6
2020–202128.73.924.73.131.84.7
202329.64.026.03.332.74.7

Fertility data by region (DHS Program):[7]

RegionTotal fertility rate
(2005)
Total fertility rate
(2010/11)
Total fertility rate
(2017)
Dakar3.73.73.0
Thiès5.44.84.6
Diourbel6.25.25.8
Kaolack5.96.05.2
Kaffrine6.56.2
Louga5.64.85.1
Fatick6.86.35.2
Ziguinchor5.04.84.6
Sédhiou6.96.4
Kolda6.36.85.5
Matam3.75.45.3
Saint-Louis5.35.04.7
Kédougou6.16.4
Tambacounda6.26.05.8

Life expectancy

PeriodLife expectancy in
Years[8]
1950–195535.47
1955–1960 37.49
1960–1965 38.62
1965–1970 38.41
1970–1975 40.91
1975–1980 46.50
1980–1985 51.27
1985–1990 56.05
1990–1995 57.59
1995–2000 57.25
2000–2005 58.93
2005–2010 62.41
2010–2015 65.71

Ethnic groups

Wolof 37.1%, Pular 26.2%, Serer 17%, Mandinka 5.6%, Jola 4.5%, Soninke 1.4%, Other 8.3% (includes 50,000 Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2017)[9]
About 50,000 Europeans -represents the 0.3% of the population of Senegal- (mostly French) and Lebanese and Vietnamese reside in Senegal, mainly in the cities.
Population of Senegal according to ethnic group in 1976 and 1988
Ethnic
group
census 1976 [10]census 1988[11]
Number%Number%
Wolof2,001,41641.02,890,40242.7
Serer716,91914.71,009,92114.9
Peul605,58412.4978,36614.4
Toucouleur528,49010.8631,8929.3
Diola265,3535.4357,6725.3
Mandingue179,0503.7245,6513.6
Soce42,7510.6
Sarakhole84,1021.7113,1841.7
Bambara65,0961.391,0711.3
Maure59,7841.267,7261.0
Mandjaag41,6280.966,6051.0
Lebou94,8371.956,7580.8
Balant33,9150.754,3980.8
Malinke202,4724.128,6430.4
Mancagne23,1800.3
Laobe18,2500.3
Bassari6,1950.1
Khassonke1,7520.0
Coniagui1,1190.0
Fula1080.0
Other87,7731.3
Total4,879,1036,773,417

Languages

French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Hassaniya Arabic, Serer, Jola, Mandinka, Soninke, Arabic[a]

Religion

The religious beliefs of the 2016 population of Senegal are: Muslim 96.1% (mostly Sunni), Christian 3.6% (mostly Roman Catholic), animist 0.3%.[9]

Other general statistics

Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates

The following demographic statistics of Senegal are from the World Population Review.[13]

  • One birth every 55 seconds
  • One death every 6 minutes
  • One net migrant every 26 minutes
  • Net gain of one person every 1 minutes

The following demographic are from the CIA World Factbook[14] unless otherwise indicated.

Population

17,923,036 (2022 est.)
15,020,945 (July 2018 est.)

Religion

Muslim 97.2% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 2.7% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2019 est.)

Age structure

Population pyramid of Senegal in 2020
0-14 years: 40.38% (male 3,194,454/female 3,160,111)
15-24 years: 20.35% (male 1,596,896/female 1,606,084)
25-54 years: 31.95% (male 2,327,424/female 2,700,698)
55-64 years: 4.21% (male 283,480/female 378,932)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 212,332/female 275,957) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 41.15% (male 3,106,942 /female 3,074,740)
15-24 years: 20.33% (male 1,521,868 /female 1,531,484)
25-54 years: 31.45% (male 2,176,052 /female 2,547,566)
55-64 years: 4.05% (male 261,682 /female 347,374)
65 years and over: 3.02% (male 200,079 /female 253,158) (2018 est.)

Birth rate

31.51 births/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 27th
32.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 27th
33.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Death rate

5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 193rd
7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 94th
8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.27 children born/woman (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 23rd
4.2 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 30th

Population growth rate

2.57% (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 17th
2.36% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 30th
2.39% (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 19.4 years. Country comparison to the world: 203rdmale: 18.5 yearsfemale: 20.3 years (2020 est.)

total: 19 years. Country comparison to the world: 205th
male: 18.1 years
female: 19.9 years (2018 est.)
Total: 18.8 years
Male: 18 years
Female: 19.7 years (2017 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.9 years (2019 est.)
21.5 years (2016 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Contraceptive prevalence rate

26.9% (2019)
25.1% (2016)

Net migration rate

-0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) Country comparison to the world: 133rd
-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 151st

Dependency ratios

Total: 85.4
Youth: 79.8
Elderly: 5.6
Potential support ratio: 18 (2015 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 49.1% of total population (2022)
rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 47.2% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 3.73% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.96 years. Country comparison to the world: 171stmale: 68.23 yearsfemale: 71.77 years (2022 est.)

total population: 62.5 years
male: 60.4 years
female: 64.7 years (2018 est.)
Total population: 62.1 years (2017 est.), 59.78 years (2011 est.), 59.25 years (2006 est.)
Male: 60 years (2017 est.), 57.85 years (2011 est.), 57.7 years (2006 est.)
Female: 64.3 years (2017 est.), 61.77 years (2011 est.), 60.85 years (2006 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 47.2% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 3.73% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

note: on 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Senegal is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

Maternal mortality ratio

315 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

improved
total: 78.5% of population
urban: 92.9% of population
rural: 67.3% of population
unimproved
total: 21.5% of population
urban: 7.1% of population
rural: 32.7% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2019) Country comparison to the world: 51st

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2017 est.)total population: 51.9%male: 64.8%female: 39.8% (2017 est.)

Total population: 57.7%
Male: 69.7%
Female: 46.6% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 9 years
male: 8 years
female: 9 years (2020)
total: 9 years
male: 9 years
female: 9 years (2017)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 4.1%
male: 2.9%
female: 6.7% (2019 est.)

Gender ratio

At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/females
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Emigration

Senegal was historically a destination country for neighboring economic migrants, but in recent decades West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa, or as a stop before continuing illegally onward to Europe.[9] The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from Mauritania during the 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country's economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated from the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries to Libya and Mauritania, because of their booming oil industries, and to France, Italy and Spain.[9]

See also

Notes

References

External links