GeoRealityMatch
Peaceful coastline scene with moored boats and distant colorful buildings under a clear sky.A man rides a horse along the scenic beach in Dakar, Senegal, during daytime.

Senegal

Africa · Western Africa

High safetyAffordable cost of livingLow development

Incomes are low.

vs Morocco
Safety

74th most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
1.939lower is more peacefulHigh safety
#74 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Safety index
54.9Numbeo's safety index, higher is saferModerateNumbeo · 2026
Money

Incomes below the median country

GNI per person
$1,780national income per person, US dollarsVery low
World Bank · 2025
Rent index
19.3New York = 100ExpensiveNumbeo · 2026

Income and inflation over time

Income per person rose 92% in current dollars from 2006 to 2025, and rose 41% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$3.0K$6.0K$5,463 PPP$1,955Inflation, % a year10%0200620102015202020252006, $1,017 a person, $2,422 at PPP, inflation 2.1%2007, $1,189 a person, $2,499 at PPP, inflation 5.9%2008, $1,399 a person, $2,581 at PPP, inflation 7.3%2009, $1,309 a person, $2,606 at PPP, inflation -2.2%2010, $1,276 a person, $2,663 at PPP, inflation 1.2%2011, $1,375 a person, $2,685 at PPP, inflation 3.4%2012, $1,327 a person, $2,764 at PPP, inflation 1.4%2013, $1,380 a person, $2,769 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2014, $1,399 a person, $2,854 at PPP, inflation -1.1%2015, $1,218 a person, $2,994 at PPP, inflation 0.1%2016, $1,266 a person, $3,101 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2017, $1,355 a person, $3,230 at PPP, inflation 1.3%2018, $1,453 a person, $3,380 at PPP, inflation 0.5%2019, $1,431 a person, $3,648 at PPP, inflation 1.8%2020, $1,461 a person, $3,753 at PPP, inflation 2.5%2021, $1,598 a person, $4,174 at PPP, inflation 2.2%2022, $1,574 a person, $4,530 at PPP, inflation 9.7%2023, $1,698 a person, $4,782 at PPP, inflation 5.9%2024, $1,739 a person, $5,097 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2025, $1,955 a person, $5,463 at PPP, inflation 1.5%$0$3.0K$6.0KInflation, % a year10%0200620102015202020252006, $1,017 a person, $2,422 at PPP, inflation 2.1%2007, $1,189 a person, $2,499 at PPP, inflation 5.9%2008, $1,399 a person, $2,581 at PPP, inflation 7.3%2009, $1,309 a person, $2,606 at PPP, inflation -2.2%2010, $1,276 a person, $2,663 at PPP, inflation 1.2%2011, $1,375 a person, $2,685 at PPP, inflation 3.4%2012, $1,327 a person, $2,764 at PPP, inflation 1.4%2013, $1,380 a person, $2,769 at PPP, inflation 0.7%2014, $1,399 a person, $2,854 at PPP, inflation -1.1%2015, $1,218 a person, $2,994 at PPP, inflation 0.1%2016, $1,266 a person, $3,101 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2017, $1,355 a person, $3,230 at PPP, inflation 1.3%2018, $1,453 a person, $3,380 at PPP, inflation 0.5%2019, $1,431 a person, $3,648 at PPP, inflation 1.8%2020, $1,461 a person, $3,753 at PPP, inflation 2.5%2021, $1,598 a person, $4,174 at PPP, inflation 2.2%2022, $1,574 a person, $4,530 at PPP, inflation 9.7%2023, $1,698 a person, $4,782 at PPP, inflation 5.9%2024, $1,739 a person, $5,097 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2025, $1,955 a person, $5,463 at PPP, inflation 1.5%

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Below-average life expectancy

Life expectancy
68.9years, at birthLow
#140 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
48WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100Very lowWHO · 2023
Air pollution
42.5PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageVery highWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Moderate home internet speeds

Unemployment rate
2.7%share of the labour force without a jobWorld Bank · 2025
Home internet
31 Mbpsmedian download speedModerateOokla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiency
442EF English Proficiency Index scoreVery lowEF EPI · 2025

Internet speeds

Home internet31 MbpsModerate

Ookla Speedtest Global Index, median download speed, ranked among the countries Ookla lists.

A man rides a horse along the scenic beach in Dakar, Senegal, during daytime.
How it changed

Senegal's Human Development Index

0.530Low human development

169th of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 32nd of 54 in Africa.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #167Lesotho0.550
  2. #168Pakistan0.544
  3. #169Senegal0.530
  4. #170Gambia0.524
  5. #171DR Congo0.522
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 1990

Year by year

Human development rose from 0.377 in 1990 to 0.530 in 2023.

0.350.450.550.53019902000201020231990: 0.3771991: 0.3791992: 0.3811993: 0.3821994: 0.3821995: 0.3841996: 0.3851997: 0.3861998: 0.3891999: 0.3922000: 0.3982001: 0.4042002: 0.4092003: 0.4162004: 0.4232005: 0.4302006: 0.4382007: 0.4502008: 0.4622009: 0.4702010: 0.4772011: 0.4912012: 0.4992013: 0.5042014: 0.5082015: 0.5092016: 0.5162017: 0.5172018: 0.5222019: 0.5202020: 0.5222021: 0.5222022: 0.5262023: 0.5300.350.450.5519902000201020231990: 0.3771991: 0.3791992: 0.3811993: 0.3821994: 0.3821995: 0.3841996: 0.3851997: 0.3861998: 0.3891999: 0.3922000: 0.3982001: 0.4042002: 0.4092003: 0.4162004: 0.4232005: 0.4302006: 0.4382007: 0.4502008: 0.4622009: 0.4702010: 0.4772011: 0.4912012: 0.4992013: 0.5042014: 0.5082015: 0.5092016: 0.5162017: 0.5172018: 0.5222019: 0.5202020: 0.5222021: 0.5222022: 0.5262023: 0.530

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 34 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
68.9 years2024at birthUp 7.9 years from 61 years in 2005
Internet users
60%2024of people onlineUp 55 points from 6% in 2006
Urban population
56%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 14 points from 42% in 2006
Births per woman
3.772024births per womanDown 1.36 from 5.13 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
35%2021of energy usedDown 5 points from 40% in 2004
Access to electricity
83%2024of people with electricityUp 36 points from 47% in 2005
Infant mortality
292024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsDown 25 from 54 in 2005
CO2 emissions per person
0.8 t2024of CO2 per person a yearUp 0.3 t from 0.5 t in 2005
Forest area
41%2023of land under forestDown 4 points from 45% in 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

One of West Africa's most stable democracies, with a lively Dakar and a growing oil sector. The case against is low incomes, patchy access to essential health services and polluted air.

About Senegal

Senegal is West Africa's great cultural and musical capital, a country where the city of Dakar crackles with creative energy, the ancient trade city of Saint-Louis carries a faded French colonial elegance, and the coast and river landscapes offer outstanding birdwatching and Atlantic beaches. The Wolof culture is renowned for its teranga, a word meaning hospitality that is taken as a national value. Those who engage with the music, the food, and the people will find it one of the most rewarding destinations in Africa.

Practical facts

  • CapitalDakar
  • LanguagesFrench
  • CurrencyWest African CFA franc (XOF)
  • Area192,530 km²
  • Plug typeType C/E
  • Drives on theright
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Borders

GambiaGuineaGuinea-BissauMaliMauritania

Side by side

vs MoroccoCompare any two countries

Quick answers

What is Senegal's Human Development Index?

Senegal's Human Development Index is 0.530 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #169 of 193 by UNDP.

Is Senegal safe?

Senegal scores 1.94 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #74 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

How expensive is Senegal?

Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Senegal at 48.5 (New York = 100); that is #93 cheapest of 143 countries with data.

What is life expectancy in Senegal?

Life expectancy at birth in Senegal is 68.9 yrs (World Bank), ranked #140 of 195 countries.