There are various ethnic groups in
Senegal. According to "
CIA World Factbook: Senegal" (2019 estimates), the ethnic groups are
Wolof (39%);
Fula (probably including the
Halpulaar speaking
Toucouleur) (27.5%));
Serer group (probably including the
Serer Cangin peoples (16%));
Mandinka (4.9%);
Jola (4.2%);
Soninke (2.4%); other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent), and other minor ethnic groups like the
Bassari,
Maures or (Naarkajors)).[1] Many subgroups of those can be further distinguished, based on religion, location and language. According to one 2005 estimate, there are at least twenty distinguishable groups of largely varying size.[2]
The largest group is the
Wolof, representing 39% of the population of the country.[1][3][4] They live predominantly in the west, having descended from the kingdoms of
Cayor,
Waalo and
Jolof that once existed in that area. Their population is focused in large urban centres. Most are
Muslim, being either
Mouride or
Tijānī. The
Lebou people of
Cap-Vert and
Petite Côte are considered a subgroup of the Wolof. however they represent less than 1% of its population.[5] The prevalence of the Wolof both linguistically and politically has continued to increase throughout the years; this tendency has been called the "
wolofisation" of Senegal.[6]
The
Fula, those who speak the
Fula language, are the second most populous group, representing 27.5% of the country's population.[1][7] This figure includes the
Toucouleurs, but according to surveys, this subgroup is sometimes considered separate from the Fula. They were Islamized very early. The territory inhabited by the Fula is larger than that of the Wolof, however many areas are sparsely populated, such as
Ferlo,
Kolda, the
Senegal River Valley, and
Badiar. Traditionally
nomadic, the vast majority has
become sedentary, although there is a current
rural exodus. Since
Ahmed Sékou Touré became president of
Guinea, many Guinean Fula have immigrated to Senegal, particularly from
Fouta Djallon.
The
Jola represent 4.2% of the country's population,[1] and mostly live in
Ziguinchor where they primarily make their living from rice cultivation and fishing. Traditionally
animist, they have historically resisted the spread of both
Islam and
Christianity in the country.[9] While much of the Jola population now adheres to either Islam or Christianity, many mix these religions with animist beliefs. The Jola hold their ethnic distinctiveness as of great importance.[10]
Other groups also live in the Ziguinchor Region. While these groups lead lifestyles that are very similar to the Jola, they speak different languages and are much less populous. This is the case of the
Bainuk, the
Balanta, the
Manjack, the
Mankanya, the
Karoninka, and the
Bandial.
Several small ethnic groups in Senegal are related to the
Mandinka, together constituting 4.9% of the population of the country.[1] These include the
Malinké, the
Sossé, the
Bambara, the
Dyula, the
Yalunka, and the
Jakhanke.
The
Soninke represent 2.4% of the population of Senegal.[1] While most of the Soninke live in
Mali, some live on the other side of the border, along the
Falémé and
Sénégal Rivers. This group has been experiencing a significant
diaspora. The Soninke were Islamized earlier than most other groups in the country.
Senegal has among its population many Africans from other countries. There are small
Ivorian communities in
Dakar, as well as many
Nigerians, most of which being
Hausa. Malians go almost unnoticed in Senegal because their culture is so similar to that of the Senegalese. There is a large
Cape Verdean community in Dakar.
Moors, constituting 0.5% of the population of Senegal, have long invested in business in the country, residing mainly in cities in the north. The subgroup of the
Darmankour, who have lived in Senegal for centuries, are present throughout the country.
Europeans and
descendants of Lebanese migrants are fairly numerous in urban centres in Senegal, about 50,000. Most of the Lebanese originate from the Southern Lebanese city of Tyre, which is known as "Little West Africa" and has a main promenade that is called "Avenue du Senegal".[11]
Minor groups
There are also many other smaller representations of other ethnic groups in Senegal, including the
Khassonké, the
Lawbe and the
Papel.
The predominant ethnic groups in Senegal share a common cultural background so that, apart from their languages that also have many similarities, there are no effective cultural barriers between them. [dubious –
discuss] This is why
marriage between ethnic groups in Senegal is so common.[original research?]
Mara A. Leichtman (2005). "The legacy of transnational lives: Beyond the first generation of Lebanese in Senegal". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 28 (4): 663–686.
doi:
10.1080/13569320500092794.
S2CID144395215.
Papa Oumar Fall, «The ethnolinguistic classification of Seereer in question», in Altmayer, Claus / Wolff, H. Ekkehard, Les défis du plurilinguisme en Afrique, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2013, pp. 47–60
^Christian Roche (2000). Histoire de la Casamance : Conquête et résistance 1850-1920 (in French). Karthala. p. 408.
ISBN978-2-86537-125-9.
^Jean-Claude Marut (2002). Le problème casamançais est-il soluble dans l'Etat-nation? (in French). Paris: Karthala. pp. 425–458.
ISBN978-2-84586-236-4. {{
cite book}}: |journal= ignored (
help)
^Leichtman, Mara (2015). Shi'i Cosmopolitanisms in Africa: Lebanese Migration and Religious Conversion in Senegal. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 26, 31, 51, 54, 86.
ISBN978-0253015990.
^Page, Willie F., "Encyclopedia of African history and culture: African kingdoms (500 to 1500)." Vol.2, Facts on File (2001), pp. 209, 676,
ISBN0-8160-4472-4
^Streissguth, Thomas, "Senegal in Pictures, Visual Geography", Second Series, Twenty-First Century Books (2009), p. 23,
ISBN1-57505-951-7
^Oliver, Roland Anthony, Fage, J. D., "Journal of African history", Volume 10, p. 367. Cambridge University Press (1969), p. 367
^Abbey, M T Rosalie Akouele, "Customary Law and Slavery in West Africa", Trafford Publishing (2011), pp. 481–482,
ISBN1-4269-7117-6
^Mwakikagile, Godfrey, "Ethnic Diversity and Integration in The Gambia: The Land, The People and The Culture," (2010), p. 241,
ISBN9987-9322-2 Parameter error in {{
ISBN}}: length
There are various ethnic groups in
Senegal. According to "
CIA World Factbook: Senegal" (2019 estimates), the ethnic groups are
Wolof (39%);
Fula (probably including the
Halpulaar speaking
Toucouleur) (27.5%));
Serer group (probably including the
Serer Cangin peoples (16%));
Mandinka (4.9%);
Jola (4.2%);
Soninke (2.4%); other 5.4% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent), and other minor ethnic groups like the
Bassari,
Maures or (Naarkajors)).[1] Many subgroups of those can be further distinguished, based on religion, location and language. According to one 2005 estimate, there are at least twenty distinguishable groups of largely varying size.[2]
The largest group is the
Wolof, representing 39% of the population of the country.[1][3][4] They live predominantly in the west, having descended from the kingdoms of
Cayor,
Waalo and
Jolof that once existed in that area. Their population is focused in large urban centres. Most are
Muslim, being either
Mouride or
Tijānī. The
Lebou people of
Cap-Vert and
Petite Côte are considered a subgroup of the Wolof. however they represent less than 1% of its population.[5] The prevalence of the Wolof both linguistically and politically has continued to increase throughout the years; this tendency has been called the "
wolofisation" of Senegal.[6]
The
Fula, those who speak the
Fula language, are the second most populous group, representing 27.5% of the country's population.[1][7] This figure includes the
Toucouleurs, but according to surveys, this subgroup is sometimes considered separate from the Fula. They were Islamized very early. The territory inhabited by the Fula is larger than that of the Wolof, however many areas are sparsely populated, such as
Ferlo,
Kolda, the
Senegal River Valley, and
Badiar. Traditionally
nomadic, the vast majority has
become sedentary, although there is a current
rural exodus. Since
Ahmed Sékou Touré became president of
Guinea, many Guinean Fula have immigrated to Senegal, particularly from
Fouta Djallon.
The
Jola represent 4.2% of the country's population,[1] and mostly live in
Ziguinchor where they primarily make their living from rice cultivation and fishing. Traditionally
animist, they have historically resisted the spread of both
Islam and
Christianity in the country.[9] While much of the Jola population now adheres to either Islam or Christianity, many mix these religions with animist beliefs. The Jola hold their ethnic distinctiveness as of great importance.[10]
Other groups also live in the Ziguinchor Region. While these groups lead lifestyles that are very similar to the Jola, they speak different languages and are much less populous. This is the case of the
Bainuk, the
Balanta, the
Manjack, the
Mankanya, the
Karoninka, and the
Bandial.
Several small ethnic groups in Senegal are related to the
Mandinka, together constituting 4.9% of the population of the country.[1] These include the
Malinké, the
Sossé, the
Bambara, the
Dyula, the
Yalunka, and the
Jakhanke.
The
Soninke represent 2.4% of the population of Senegal.[1] While most of the Soninke live in
Mali, some live on the other side of the border, along the
Falémé and
Sénégal Rivers. This group has been experiencing a significant
diaspora. The Soninke were Islamized earlier than most other groups in the country.
Senegal has among its population many Africans from other countries. There are small
Ivorian communities in
Dakar, as well as many
Nigerians, most of which being
Hausa. Malians go almost unnoticed in Senegal because their culture is so similar to that of the Senegalese. There is a large
Cape Verdean community in Dakar.
Moors, constituting 0.5% of the population of Senegal, have long invested in business in the country, residing mainly in cities in the north. The subgroup of the
Darmankour, who have lived in Senegal for centuries, are present throughout the country.
Europeans and
descendants of Lebanese migrants are fairly numerous in urban centres in Senegal, about 50,000. Most of the Lebanese originate from the Southern Lebanese city of Tyre, which is known as "Little West Africa" and has a main promenade that is called "Avenue du Senegal".[11]
Minor groups
There are also many other smaller representations of other ethnic groups in Senegal, including the
Khassonké, the
Lawbe and the
Papel.
The predominant ethnic groups in Senegal share a common cultural background so that, apart from their languages that also have many similarities, there are no effective cultural barriers between them. [dubious –
discuss] This is why
marriage between ethnic groups in Senegal is so common.[original research?]
Mara A. Leichtman (2005). "The legacy of transnational lives: Beyond the first generation of Lebanese in Senegal". Ethnic and Racial Studies. 28 (4): 663–686.
doi:
10.1080/13569320500092794.
S2CID144395215.
Papa Oumar Fall, «The ethnolinguistic classification of Seereer in question», in Altmayer, Claus / Wolff, H. Ekkehard, Les défis du plurilinguisme en Afrique, Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Wien, 2013, pp. 47–60
^Christian Roche (2000). Histoire de la Casamance : Conquête et résistance 1850-1920 (in French). Karthala. p. 408.
ISBN978-2-86537-125-9.
^Jean-Claude Marut (2002). Le problème casamançais est-il soluble dans l'Etat-nation? (in French). Paris: Karthala. pp. 425–458.
ISBN978-2-84586-236-4. {{
cite book}}: |journal= ignored (
help)
^Leichtman, Mara (2015). Shi'i Cosmopolitanisms in Africa: Lebanese Migration and Religious Conversion in Senegal. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 26, 31, 51, 54, 86.
ISBN978-0253015990.
^Page, Willie F., "Encyclopedia of African history and culture: African kingdoms (500 to 1500)." Vol.2, Facts on File (2001), pp. 209, 676,
ISBN0-8160-4472-4
^Streissguth, Thomas, "Senegal in Pictures, Visual Geography", Second Series, Twenty-First Century Books (2009), p. 23,
ISBN1-57505-951-7
^Oliver, Roland Anthony, Fage, J. D., "Journal of African history", Volume 10, p. 367. Cambridge University Press (1969), p. 367
^Abbey, M T Rosalie Akouele, "Customary Law and Slavery in West Africa", Trafford Publishing (2011), pp. 481–482,
ISBN1-4269-7117-6
^Mwakikagile, Godfrey, "Ethnic Diversity and Integration in The Gambia: The Land, The People and The Culture," (2010), p. 241,
ISBN9987-9322-2 Parameter error in {{
ISBN}}: length