ABSTRACT
Situated on the westernmost point of Africa, Senegal covers an area of 197,200 square kilometres (76,100 square miles). Bounded to the north by Mauritania, to the east by Mali and to the south by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, Senegal surrounds the small nation of Gambia which occupies the lower valley of the Gambia River. Major ethnic groups in the country include the Wolof (36 per cent), Fulani (Peul; 19 per cent), Serer (9 per cent), Diola (9 per cent) and Toucouleur (9 per cent). French is the country's official language but most people speak Wolof. Over 90 per cent of the people are Muslim.
