Geography & environment — Senegal
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Senegal: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
14 00 N, 14 00 W
- Total Area
75,954 Square Miles 196,722 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
74,336 Square Miles 192,530 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
1,619 Square Miles 4,192 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
1,640 Miles 2,640 Kilometers
- Border Countries
The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
- Coastline
330 Miles 531 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
- Highest Point
581 Meters
- Highest Point Location
unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m
- Lowest Point Location
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
fish, phosphates, iron ore
- Irrigated Land
462 Square Miles 1,197 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
Senegal has two well-defined seasons: northeasterly winds produce the cool, dry winter season (November to June) and southwesterly winds produce the hot, humid summer (July to October). During winter, Dakar days are invariably sunny with temperatures between 63 and 80° F. During summer, the average temperature is 86° F to 96° F with high humidity. Beginning in January, the harmattan brings dust and sand from the Sahara Desert for 2 or 3 months. Between July and October, Dakar receives 16 - 20 inches of rainfall. Precipitation increases farther south, exceeding 60 inches in parts of the Casamance Region in the southern part of the country. Typically, Senegal is considered a dry, almost desert country with a pleasant climate along the coast and much higher temperatures inland.
- Terrain
generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast
- Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
- Total Area
75,954 Square Miles 196,722 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau 338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements