Senegal Culture Essay

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Facts and Statistics Location:Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania Capital:Dakar Population:12,521,851 (July 2007 est.) Ethnic Groups:Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4% Religions:Muslim 94%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman Catholic), indigenous beliefs 1% Language French is the official language, but really only used regularly by a minority of Senegalese who were educated in colonial-style schools of French origin. Most people speak their own ethnic language. Three-quarters of the population speak the Wolof language, thereby making it the lingua franca of the country. There are actually five other major languages: Serer, Alpuular, Mandingo, Diola, and Bassari. Senegalese languages are primarily oral rather than written, although younger Senegalese can often write in their native language using a modified form of the Latin alphabet. However, Muslims may use the Arabic alphabet to write in their native language. Wolof is also spoken in Gambia and Mauritania and is the native language of the ethnic group of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring language Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Wolof dialects may vary between countries (Senegal and the Gambia) and the rural and urban areas. "Dakar-Wolof", for instance, is an urban mixture of Wolof, French, Arabic, and even a little English spoken in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. Senegalese Society & Culture Tribal and Ethnic Diversity Although there are over ten ethnic groups in Senegal, five are predominant. The largest group is the Wolof who cluster in the northwest and centre of the country. The Hal Pularen group reside along the middle valley of the Senegal River, the upper valley of the Casamance River, and in the centre.

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