Subdivisions of Senegal

Senegal is subdivided into four levels of administrative divisions.

Regions

Further information: Regions of Senegal

At the top level are the Regions of Senegal and their elected administrative body. The 14 regions (régions, singular - région), are administered by a Conseil Régionaux, which is elected by population weight at the Arrondissement level.

Region Capital
Area
(km2)
Population
(2013 census)
[1]
Dakar Dakar 547 3,137,196
Ziguinchor Ziguinchor 7,352 549,151
Diourbel Diourbel 4,824 1,497,455
Saint-Louis Saint-Louis 19,241 908,942
Tambacounda Tambacounda 42,364 681,310
Kaolack Kaolack   5,357 960,875
Thiès Thiès 6,670 1,788,864
Louga Louga 24,889 874,193
Fatick Fatick 6,849 835,352
Kolda Kolda 13,771 714,392
Matam Matam 29,445 562,539
Kaffrine Kaffrine 11,262 566,992
Kédougou Kédougou 16,800 152,357
Sédhiou Sédhiou 7,341 452,944

Departments

Further information: Departments of Senegal

Regions are subdivided into Departments, which are strictly administrative entities with no independent political power.

Arrondissements

Further information: Arrondissements of Senegal

Departments are made up of Arrondissements. These are also purely administrative structures, with prefects appointed by the central government.

Communes

Arrondissements are divided into Communes, which roughly equivalent to cities. In rural areas, these are titled communautés rurales, and maintain the same powers: city councils and mayors, directly elected. In the Dakar Region, since 1996, the four Arrondissements have been subdivided into Communes d'arrondissement, with appointed Sub-Prefects, answerable to their Arrondissement Prefects.

Senegal's subvisions number 34 départements, 103 arrondissements, 19 Communes d'arrondissement, 11 régions, 110 communes, and 320 communautés rurales.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Senegal at GeoHive.
  2. ↑ List of current local elected officials from Union des Associations d’ Elus Locaux (UAEL) du Sénégal. See also the law creating current local government structures: (French)Code des collectivités locales, Loi n° 96-06 du 22 mars 1996.

External links