| Archaeological
findings throughout the area indicate that Senegal
was inhabited in prehistoric times. Islam, the dominant
religion in Senegal, first came to the region in
the 11th century. Today, 95% of Senegalese are Muslims.
In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under
the influence of the Mandingo empires to the east;
the Jolof Empire of Senegal also was founded during
this time. Various European powers came to the area
from the 15th century onward, until France ended
up in possession of what had become an important
slave trade departure point. Independence from France
was gained in 1960, on April the 4th.
In January 1959, Senegal
and the French Sudan merged to form the Mali Federation,
which became fully independent on June 20, 1960,
as a result of the independence and the transfer
of power agreement signed with France on April
4, 1960. Due to internal political difficulties,
the Federation broke up on August 20. Senegal
and Sudan (renamed the Republic of Mali) proclaimed
independence. Léopold Senghor was elected
Senegal's first president in August 1960.
After the breakup of the
Mali Federation, President Senghor and Prime Minister
Mamadou Dia governed together under a parliamentary
system. In December 1962, their political rivalry
led to an attempted coup by Prime Minister Dia.
Although this was put down without bloodshed,
Dia was arrested and imprisoned, and Senegal adopted
a new constitution that consolidated the President's
power. In 1980, President Senghor decided to retire
from politics, and he handed power over in 1981
to his handpicked successor, Abdou Diouf.
Senegal joined with The
Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia
on February 1, 1982. However, the union was dissolved
in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern separatist
group in the Casamance region has clashed sporadically
with government forces since 1982. Senegal has
a long history of participating in international
peacekeeping.
Abdou Diouf was president
between 1981 and 2000. He encouraged broader political
participation, reduced government involvement
in the economy, and widened Senegal's diplomatic
engagements, particularly with other developing
nations. Domestic politics on occasion spilled
over into street violence, border tensions, and
a violent separatist movement in the southern
region of the Casamance. Nevertheless, Senegal's
commitment to democracy and human rights strengthened.
Diouf served four terms as President. In the presidential
election of 2000, opposition leader Abdoulaye
Wade defeated Diouf in an election deemed as free
and fair by international observers. Senegal experienced
its second peaceful transition of power, and its
first from one political party to another.
On
December 30, 2004 President Abdoulaye Wade announced
that he would sign a peace treaty with the separatist
group in the Casamance region.
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