History & Influences

 

8th century	Present-day Senegal is part of the Kingdom of Ghana.
12-14th centuries	Rise of the Jolof empire.
1440s	Portuguese traders reach Senegal river estuary.
1588	Dutch establish slave port on island of Goree.
1659	French found St-Louis at the mouth of the Senegal river; it becomes a key slave-trading port.
1677	French take over island of Goree from the Dutch.
1756-63	Seven Years' War: Britain takes over French posts in Senegal, forms colony of Senegambia. France regains its holdings during American Revolutionary War of 1775-83.
1816	Britain returns French holdings captured during Napoleonic Wars.
1895	Senegal becomes part of French West Africa.
1946	Senegal becomes part of the French Union.
1956	National Assembly established.
1958	Becomes an autonomous republic, as part of the French Community.
1960 June	Senegal becomes independent, as part of Mali Federation.
1960 August	Senegal pulls out of Mali Federation, becomes separate republic with Leopold  Senghor as president.
1963	First constitution drawn-up.
1966	Senghor's Senegalese Progressive Union becomes country's sole political party.
1978	Three-party political system introduced.
1981	Leopold Senghor steps down; Abdou Diouf becomes president in 1981.
1982	Senegambian Confederation formed; Senegal and neighbouring Gambia aim to combine military and security forces.
1982	Separatists in southern province of Casamance form Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (MFDC).
1988	Diouf re-elected.
1989	Senegambian Confederation dissolved. Dispute over grazing rights in southern Mauritania sparks violent unrest in Senegal and Mauritania.
1992	Diplomatic relations with Mauritania restored.
1993	Diouf re-elected for third term
2000 March	Opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade wins second round of presidential elections, ending 40 years of Socialist Party rule.
2001 January	Voters back new constitution which shortens presidential term, limits holder to two terms, and gives president power to dissolve parliament.
2001 March	Government signs peace accord with separatist rebels in Casamance. But there is little follow-up as separatists go through splits and leadership changes.
2001 April	Abdoulaye Wade's Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) wins an overwhelming majority in parliamentary elections.
2004 December	Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (MFDC) and government sign pact aimed at ending secessionist struggle in province of Casamance.
2005 July	Former PM Idrissa Seck is charged with undermining state security, sparking clashes between his supporters and police. He is jailed for a time, but is released in February 2006 after the charge is dropped.
2005 October	Dispute with neighbouring Gambia over ferry tariffs on the border leads to a transport blockade. The economies of both countries suffer. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo brokers talks to resolve the issue.
2006 August	The army launches an offensive against rebels from a faction of the Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces (MFDC). Senegal and Spain agree to jointly patrol the Senegalese coast to curb the exodus of illegal migrants heading for Europe.   Senegal is a favourite starting point for migrants setting off in rickety boats.
2006 December	Spain and Senegal agree a series of measures to curb illegal migration to the Canary Islands. Spain is to give 4,000 Senegalese temporary work permits over the next two years.
2007 February	President Wade wins re-election.
2007 June	President Wade's ruling coalition increases its parliamentary majority in elections boycotted by the opposition.
2007 September	Spanish authorities launch a campaign on national television in Senegal to discourage illegal migration.
2007 December	President Abdoulaye Wade declares three days of mourning after Serigne Saliou Mbacke, leader of Senegal's richest and most powerful Islamic brotherhood, dies aged 92.
2008 April	Senegal's national assembly amends the country's constitution to allow the trial of Chad's ex-leader Hissene Habre, who is accused of human rights abuses during his eight years in power.
2009 March	Opposition parties win control of several cities in local elections, including Dakar, formerly a stronghold of President Wade.
2009 April	Belgium starts proceedings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to try to force Senegal to bring former Chadian President Hissene Habre to trial for alleged human rights abuses during his time in power. Prime Minister Cheikh Hajibou Soumare steps down after governing coalition suffers losses in local council polls. The president's son Karim is included in the new cabinet.
2009 May	A UN court accepts Senegal's pledge to keep in the country ex-Chad dictator Hissene Habre, ahead of his trial for rights abuses.
2009 September-October	Clashes between troops and rebels in the province of Casamance.
2010 April	Senegal marks 50 years of independence. France gives up its military bases in the country.
2012 March	Macky Sall wins presidential elections.
2012 July	President Sall's coalition wins parliamentary elections.
2012 September	MPs abolish the upper house, the Senate, and the post of vice president in an effort to save money for flood relief. Critics say the aim is to weaken the opposition.
2014 April	Rebel leader Salif Sadio, who has been fighting for the independence of the Casamance region, declares a unilateral ceasefire.
2014 September	Ex-president Wade's son Karim is put on trial for corruption. Police use teargas to disperse hundreds of his supporters outside the court.
2015 January	Senegal expels leading Gambian opposition figure Cheikh Sidya Bayo to France, accusing him of being a threat to public order.
2015 February	Extraordinary African Chamber court orders former Chadian President Hissene Habre to stand trail in Senegal on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
2015 March	Karim Wade, the son of former President Abdoulaye Wade, is jailed for six years for illicit enrichment while serving as a minister under his father, in what critics say is a politically motivated case.
2016 March	Voters in a referendum approve a proposal to reduce the presidential term from seven years to five.

Source: BBC
Although predominantly Muslim, Senegal is a tolerant secular state, whose peoples have lived together peacefully for several generations and have intermingled to some extent. Islam is a potential unifying factor.