Total area

197,161 sq km

Population

12.9m (mid-2010 UN estimate)

Main towns

Population in '000 (World Gazetteer estimates, 2009)

Dakar (capital): 2,583

Thiès: 274

Mbour: 216

Kaolack: 180

Climate

Tropical

Weather in Dakar (altitude 40 metres)

Hottest months, September-October, 24-32°C; coldest month, January, 18-26°C; driest months, April-May, 1 mm average rainfall; wettest month, August, 254 mm average rainfall

Languages

French, Wolof, other local languages

Measures

Metric system

Currency

CFA franc (CFAfr), fixed to the euro, backed by a guarantee from the Banque de France; it was devalued from CFAfr50:FFr1 to CFAfr100:FFr1 in 1994 and has been pegged at CFAfr655.96:EUR1 since France adopted the euro in 1999

Time

GMT

Public holidays

January 1st; April 4th (Independence Day); May 1st; Christian holidays of Christmas, All Saints' Day, Assumption and variable dates for Easter Monday and Ascension Day; all Islamic holidays are observed in accordance with the lunar calendar, which may mean that the following dates are approximate: Mawlid al-Nabi (the birthday of the Prophet, February 15th 2011); Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan, August 30th); Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice, November 6th); Islamic New Year (November 26th)