Senegal

 


Learn a little about the West African country of Senegal and download flag printables and colouring pages as well as some interesting location worksheets.

Fishing is an important industry in Senegal
Fishing is an important industry in Senegal

A Little Geography:

  • Senegal is known as the Gateway to Africa. It is bordered by Mauritania in the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast, and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. It also shares a border with The Gambia, and a maritime border on the Atlantic Ocean with Cape Verde.
  • Dakar, the capital, is the most westerly city in Africa. It sits on the Cap-Vert or Cape Verde Peninsula and was once a Portuguese slave trading base. It now has about 2 million residents.
  • The country has a population of around 15 million. About 40% of the population lives in rural areas. There are about 50,000 Europeans (mostly French) living in the country.
  • Africulture is important in Senegal, with crops such as peanuts, sugarcane, cotton, green beans and mangoes. Fishing is very important.
  • Tourism and hospitality are becoming increasingly useful to the economy.

A Little History:

  • Senegal was inhabited in prehistoric times and has always been occupied by a variety of ethnic groups.
  • In the 13th and 14th centuries, the Jolof Empire of Senegal was founded and grew to unite much of present day Africa.
  • In the middle of the 15th century, the Portuguese landed on the coast of Senegal and the Netherlands and France countries soon followed to compete for trade, particularly in slaves, ivory and gold.
  • The French gradually took control and Senegal became a colony of France in the 19th century, but won independence in 1960 and is now a republic with a president elected every 5 years. French is still the official language, although many native languages are spoken.

More Interesting Facts:

  • Most people in Senegal - 94% - are Muslims. The 5% of the population who are Christian are mostly Roman Catholic.
  • Some people say that, in the 16th century when the Portuguese landed on the coat, the fishermen warned them off with the words “Sunu gaal”, or “These are our boats!” The Portuguese of course didn't understand and from then on referred to the country as "Senegal". I don't know if this is true!
  • The national symbols are the lion and the boabab tree.
  • Wrestling is a national obsession, closely followed by football!

The Senegal Flag

The Senegal Flag

The Senegal flag has three vertical stripes: red, yellow and green (the official Pan-African colours), and the star is a symbol of hope and unity.The flag was officially adopted in September of 1960, following independence from France. 

Our Senegal Printables

Senegal Flag Colouring Page

Senegal Flag Colouring Page

Here's a colouring page for the flag of Senegal, for which the kids will need green, yellow and red pencils...

Senegal Flag Printable

Senegal Flag Printable

Green, yellow and red are the colours of the Senegal flag. Here it is in five different sizes, ready to print.

Senegal Location Worksheet

Senegal Location Worksheet

Use these location worksheets to reinforce the significance and position of Senegal within Africa. The guided worksheet provides all country names and capitals; the blank worksheet leaves it up to the children.

Senegal On Map Of Africa

Senegal On Map Of Africa

Here's an outline map of Africa which shows Senegal highlighted in red. It's useful for showing the size and shape of the country and which countries are its neighbours.

Senegal Worksheet

Senegal Worksheet

This simple worksheet asks children to fill in some interesting facts and statistics, and then write about what else they have learned about Senegal.

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