Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The dominant ethnic group is the Wolof (44% of the population), whose language is the
country's lingua franca. Smaller groups include the Fula (around 23%); the Tukulor, a
sub-branch of the Fula (10%); the Serer (14%); and the Diola (4%). Senegal's population
is young: around 40% are under 14 years old. The greatest population density is found in
the urban areas of Dakar.
Senegal has a vast music scene; names such as Youssou N'Dour and Baaba Maal are
famous worldwide. The beat that moves the nation is
mbalax
. Created from a mixture of
Cuban music (hugely popular in Senegal in the 1960s) and traditional, fiery
sabar
drum-
ming,
mbalax
was made famous by Youssou N'Dour in the 1980s.
Hip-hop is also an exciting scene in Senegal, with leading names including Didier
Awadi and Daara J. 'Urban folk', led by Carlou D, is on the rise.
Visual arts are also huge (and celebrated every two years during the Dak'Art Biennale).
Leading artists include Soly Cissé, Souleymane Keita and Ndaary Lô. Moussa Sakho,
Babacar Lô and Gora Mbengue are famous artists practising
sous-verre
(reverse -glass
painting).
The doyen of Senegalese cinema is the late Ousmane Sembène, and there's a new gen-
eration producing exciting work.
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Food & Drink
Senegal's national dish is
tiéboudienne
(rice cooked in a thick tomato sauce and served
with fried fish and vegetables). Also typical are
yassa poulet
or
poisson yassa
(marinated
and grilled chicken or fish) and
mafé
(peanut-based stew).
Local drinks include
bissap,
made from sorrel flowers, and
bouyi,
made from the fruits
of the baobab. The best local beer is Flag.
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Environment
Senegal consists mainly of flat plains, cut by three major rivers: the Senegal River in the
north, which forms the border with Mauritania; the Gambia River; and the Casamance
River in the south, watering the lush green lands of Casamance.
The national parks of the coastal regions, including the Siné-Saloum Delta, the Parc
National de la Langue de Barbarie and the Parc National des Oiseaux du Djoudj, are noted
