Senegal History

Intro
Senegal has a long and interesting history. Since it goes back to the prehistoric times, I decided to start at the 11th century and go up to 2007.

Before 20th Century
In the 11th century, Islam was started in the Senegal River Valley by the Toucouleur people. In the 13th and 14th centuries the area was ruled by Mandingo empires to the east. (The Jolof Empire of Senegal was also was made during this time.) In the 15th century the Portuguese had some stations on the banks of the Senegal River.

Gorée Island became a major center for the Atlantic slave trade through the 1700’s when millions of Africans were shipped from there to the New World. The British took parts of Senegal at different times, but the French got it in 1840 and made it part of French West Africa in 1895.

20th Century
In 1946 Senegal belonged to France together with other parts of French West Africa. On June 20, 1960, Senegal formed a country with Mali, but it collapsed in less than four months. Leopold Sedar Senghor was elected Senegal's first President in August 1960. The president and the Prime Minister governed together using the parliamentary system. In 1973, Senegal and six other nations created the West African Economic Community. When rising oil prices and changes in the price of peanuts (a major export crop) ruined the economy in the 1970s, Senghor changed it by encouraging people to think about new industries such as tourism and fishing. The economy kept getting worse and nobody liked Senghor.

In 1980, President Senghor retired and gave his power to Abdou Diouf in 1981 after ruling for 20 years. Diouf was President from 1981-2000 (4 terms). He encouraged broader political participation, decreased government involvement in the economy, gave more political freedom, permitted the existence of political parties, and made relationships with other developing nations. He also replaced democracy with a government that made the decisions for them.

Senegal Joined with Gambia to form Senegambia in 1982 but the idea of combining the two counties was not accomplished and the union was dissolved in 1989.

21st Century
In the election of 2000 he lost the election to Abdoulaye Wade who won 60% of the votes. Senegal had its second peaceful transition of power, and its first from one political party to another. It was a rare and smooth transition of power in Africa.

Important 21st Century Dates
In January 2001, the Senegalese voted in a new constitution that made it legal for women to have equal property rights as men. In September 2002, 1863 passengers were killed when the state-owned Joola ferry sank (which the government took full responsibility for). The president removed Prime Minister Seck in April 2004. Wade was elected a second term in February 2007. He got 56% of the votes.

Fun Facts!
95% of Senegalese today are Muslims
Although Senegal is neither a large nor a strategically located country, it has played a big role in African politics since its independence.
Senegal has one of the most stable democracies in Africa.
Senegal has been a political and cultural bridge between the Islamic and black African worlds.
Senegal has kept closer economic, political, and cultural ties to France than any other former French African colony.
Senegal's first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor, had a great influence in the country's political life until his voluntary retirement in 1981. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping.