Senegal
Type of Government: Republic
Independence: 1960 from France
Head of State: President Abdoulaye Wade (since April 1, 2000)
2007/2008 UN Development Index ranking (out of 177 countries): 156
2007 TI Corruption Perception Index (out of 179): 71
Political Development: Senegal was ruled by the Socialist Party for 40 years until current President Abdoulaye Wade was elected in 2000. The most significant threat within Senegal since the 1980s has been led by the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance (MFDC). Although a peace agreement was signed in December 2004, internal rifts continue to keep the peace process deadlocked. While Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa it has seen an increased amount of protest recently with the government responding somewhat harshly to criticism.
Adult HIV Rate: 0.8%
Life Expectancy: 56.69
GDP: $8.331 billion
Inflation: 2.1%
Poverty: 54%
Petroleum: N/A
Leading Export Partner: Mali (19.2%)
