Government and social conditions.

Senegal is a republic, basically socialist in orientation but built on a system of

parliamentary democracy. The constitution, dating from 1983, was closely modeled on

the original 1963 constitution. The country's chief executive is the president, who is

elected directly for a five-year term. The president appoints and leads a council of

ministers and serves as the nation's commander in chief.

The National Assembly, composed of 120 deputies, is the nation's legislative branch, and

its members are elected directly for five-year terms. The Senegalese Socialist Party is the

most important political party, dating from 1958, when it was known as the Senegalese

Progressive Union. It was formed under the leadership of Léopold Senghor, who served

as Senegal's president from independence until late 1980. In the latter year the

constitution was amended to remove all limitations on the formation of political parties;

by the mid-1980s, more than a dozen parties were in existence.

In 1982 the Senegambia confederation came into existence. The two participants,

Senegal and The Gambia, retained their individual sovereignty but adopted joint defense,

foreign, and monetary policies.

Education in Senegal is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 12, but only

approximately 40 percent of children are enrolled in schools. Secondary-school students

are directed toward careers needed in the country's development. There is a university

at Dakar.

Health conditions are generally much worse in rural areas than in the cities; about 70

percent of the country's doctors are located in Dakar. The life expectancy averages only

44 years for males and 47 years for females.

The cultural heritage of Senegal is preserved chiefly in the oral tradition. The griot, a kind

of troubadour, recites poems that tell of warrior deeds. The poet and former president

Léopold Senghor is associated with the 20th-century literary movement known as

Negritude.