Capital

Senegal

name: Dakar

geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the Atlantic coast trading settlement of Ndakaaru came to be called "Dakar" by French colonialists

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

name: Abu Dhabi

geographic coordinates: 24 28 N, 54 22 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: in Arabic, abu means "father" and dhabi refers to "gazelle"; the name may derive from an abundance of gazelles that used to live in the area, as well as a folk tale involving the "Father of the Gazelle," Shakhbut BIN DHIYAB AL NAHYAN, whose hunting party tracked a gazelle to a spring on the island where Abu Dhabi was founded

Citizenship

Senegal

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal

dual citizenship recognized: no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates; if the father is unknown, the mother must be a citizen

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 30 years

Legal system

Senegal

civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

mixed legal system of Islamic (sharia) law and civil law

Suffrage

Senegal

18 years of age; universal

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

limited; note - rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that together account for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens

Area

Senegal

total: 196,722 sq km

land: 192,530 sq km

water: 4,192 sq km

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total: 83,600 sq km

land: 83,600 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Land use

Senegal

agricultural land: 46.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 17.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 29.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 43.8% (2018 est.)

other: 9.4% (2018 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

agricultural land: 4.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.5% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 3.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 3.8% (2018 est.)

other: 91.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Senegal

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Age structure

Senegal

0-14 years: 41.19% (male 3,858,937/female 3,714,062)

15-64 years: 55.46% (male 4,925,324/female 5,271,627)

65 years and over: 3.34% (2023 est.) (male 266,485/female 348,225)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

0-14 years: 16.23% (male 829,266/female 789,187)

15-64 years: 81.77% (male 5,840,920/female 2,314,683)

65 years and over: 2% (2023 est.) (male 15,1340/female 48,053)

Birth rate

Senegal

30.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

10.8 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Senegal

5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

1.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Senegal

French (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Senegal

total population: 70.3 years (2023 est.)

male: 68.5 years

female: 72.1 years

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total population: 79.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 78.4 years

female: 81.2 years

Major urban areas - population

Senegal

3.340 million DAKAR (capital) (2023)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

3.008 million Dubai, 1.831 million Sharjah, 1.567 million ABU DHABI (capital) (2023)

Median age

Senegal

total: 19 years (2023 est.)

male: 18.2 years

female: 19.8 years

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total: 35.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 37.9 years

female: 29.9 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Senegal

21.9 years (2019 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Senegal

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Senegal

the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural as shown in this population distribution map

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

population is heavily concentrated to the northeast on the Musandam Peninsula; the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population

Population growth rate

Senegal

2.52% (2023 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

0.58% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Senegal

4.17 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

1.62 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Senegal

urban population: 49.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

urban population: 87.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Senegal

5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

3.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Senegal

total: 9 years

male: 8 years

female: 10 years (2021)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total: 16 years

male: 15 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Senegal

-3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

-0.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Senegal

10.91% (2021 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

2.54% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Senegal

4.377 million (2021 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

6.074 million (2021 est.)

note: expatriates account for about 85% of the workforce

Population below poverty line

Senegal

46.7% (2011 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

19.5% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

Senegal

3.72% (2021 est.)

3.62% (2020 est.)

2.86% (2019 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

3.36% (2021 est.)

3.19% (2020 est.)

2.23% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Senegal

48.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

47.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

19.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

20.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Senegal

2.55% (2020 est.)

1.76% (2019 est.)

0.46% (2018 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

-2.08% (2020 est.)

-1.93% (2019 est.)

3.07% (2018 est.)

Exports

Senegal

$5.287 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$4.593 billion (2017 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

$335.238 billion (2020 est.)

$308.5 billion (2017 est.)

$298.6 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - partners

Senegal

Mali 22%, Switzerland 14%, India 9%, China 7% (2019)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

India 14%, Japan 8%, China 8%, Saudi Arabia 8%, Iraq 5% (2021)

Imports

Senegal

$8.96 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.499 billion (2017 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

$246.886 billion (2020 est.)

$229.2 billion (2017 est.)

$226.5 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - partners

Senegal

China 17%, France 11%, Belgium 7%, Russia 7%, Netherlands 7% (2019)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

China 17%, India 9%, United States 6%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Germany 3% (2021)

Airports

Senegal

20 (2021)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

43 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Senegal

total: 153,813 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total: 3,245,123 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Senegal

total: 9.86 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 58% (2021 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total: 9.4 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 100% (2021 est.)

Railways

Senegal

total: 906 km (2017) (713 km operational in 2017)

narrow gauge: 906 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Senegal

total: 16,665 km (2017)

paved: 6,126 km (2017) (includes 241 km of expressways)

unpaved: 10,539 km (2017)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total: 4,080 km (2008)

paved: 4,080 km (2008) (includes 253 km of expressways)

Telephones - fixed lines

Senegal

total subscriptions: 261,440 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2021 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total subscriptions: 2.2 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 24 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Senegal

total subscriptions: 19,859,981 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2021 est.)

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

total subscriptions: 18 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 190 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Senegal

1,000 km (2012) (primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance Rivers)

Disputes - international

Senegal

Senegal-Guinea-Bissau: rebels from the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance find refuge in Guinea-Bissau

Vereinigte Arabische Emirate

UAE-Oman: boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and detailed maps showing the alignment have not been published

UAE-Iran: Iran and UAE dispute Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island near the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has occupied since 1971

UAE-Saudi Arabia: the UAE has differences with Saudi Arabia over their border and the sharing of a major oilfield there, although the issue is seldom mentioned publically