Evaluation of rural development experiences in Africa: the case of Senegal

Abstract

The Republic of Senegal is the meeting point between black Africa and the Sahara region, between the Sahel and the Sahara desert. Within its territory is the Gambia, which is an enclave covering an area of 10,300 km2. The country has a total land area of 196,722 km2. There are two distinct seasons: a dry season from November to July and a rainy season between August and October. The rains diminish in frequency and in volume from north to south (300 mm falling in a month and a half in the north and 1,300 mm distributed over a period of four months in the south). Thus, the south is characterized by dense forests, with savanna vegetation in the central region and steppe-land in the north. The drainage network comprises four rivers: Senegal, Saloum, Gambia and Casamance Rivers.