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Senegal vs. Guinea

Demographics

SenegalGuinea
Population16,082,442 (July 2021 est.)12,877,894 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 40.38% (male 3,194,454/female 3,160,111)

15-24 years: 20.35% (male 1,596,896/female 1,606,084)

25-54 years: 31.95% (male 2,327,424/female 2,700,698)

55-64 years: 4.21% (male 283,480/female 378,932)

65 years and over: 3.1% (male 212,332/female 275,957) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 41.2% (male 2,601,221/female 2,559,918)

15-24 years: 19.32% (male 1,215,654/female 1,204,366)

25-54 years: 30.85% (male 1,933,141/female 1,930,977)

55-64 years: 4.73% (male 287,448/female 305,420)

65 years and over: 3.91% (male 218,803/female 270,492) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 19.4 years

male: 18.5 years

female: 20.3 years (2020 est.)
total: 19.1 years

male: 18.9 years

female: 19.4 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate2.25% (2021 est.)2.76% (2021 est.)
Birth rate31.31 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)35.86 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.86 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.75 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 47.72 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 54.66 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 40.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 50.99 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 55.83 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 46 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 63.83 years

male: 61.59 years

female: 66.14 years (2021 est.)
total population: 63.53 years

male: 61.7 years

female: 65.42 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate3.97 children born/woman (2021 est.)4.89 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.3% (2020 est.)1.4% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Senegalese (singular and plural)

adjective: Senegalese
noun: Guinean(s)

adjective: Guinean
Ethnic groupsWolof 37.1%, Pular 26.2%, Serer 17%, Mandinka 5.6%, Jola 4.5%, Soninke 1.4%, other 8.3% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2017 est.)Fulani (Peuhl) 33.4%, Malinke 29.4%, Susu 21.2%, Guerze 7.8%, Kissi 6.2%, Toma 1.6%, other/foreign 0.4% (2018 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS39,000 (2020 est.)110,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsMuslim 95.9% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 4.1% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2017 est.)Muslim 89.1%, Christian 6.8%, animist 1.6%, other 0.1%, none 2.4% (2014 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths1,100 (2020 est.)3,300 (2020 est.)
LanguagesFrench (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, SoninkeFrench (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages

note: about 40 languages are spoken; each ethnic group has its own language
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 51.9%

male: 64.8%

female: 39.8% (2017)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 30.4%

male: 38.1%

female: 22.8% (2015)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis
degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever

water contact diseases: schistosomiasis

animal contact diseases: rabies

aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever (2016)

note: on 14 February 2021, the Guinea government declared an outbreak of Ebola in N'Zerekore; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Travel Advisory recommending travelers avoid non-essential travel to Guinea; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person's blood or other body fluids; travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel
Food insecuritysevere localized food insecurity: due to localized shortfalls in cereal production - according to the latest analysis, about 490,000 people are estimated to need humanitarian assistance in the June-August 2021 period due to the effects of adverse weather events (droughts and floods) on cereal and fodder production (2021)severe localized food insecurity: due to localized shortfalls of cereal production - despite overall favorable food security conditions, the most vulnerable households still need external food assistance; the aggregate number of severely food insecure people was estimated at 267,000 during the lean season between June and August 2020;  it is very likely that the number of food insecure population increased with the impact of COVID-19 (2021)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)total: 9 years

male: 8 years

female: 9 years (2019)
total: 9 years

male: 10 years

female: 8 years (2014)
Education expenditures4.8% of GDP (2018)2.3% of GDP (2018)
Urbanizationurban population: 48.6% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 37.3% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 92.3% of population

rural: 74.5% of population

total: 83.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 6.7% of population

rural: 25.5% of population

total: 16.7% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 97.9% of population

rural: 69.8% of population

total: 79.9% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.1% of population

rural: 27.6% of population

total: 20.1% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 91.2% of population

rural: 48.5% of population

total: 68.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 8.8% of population

rural: 51.5% of population

total: 31.6% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 85.6% of population

rural: 34.8% of population

total: 53% of population

unimproved: urban: 14.4% of population

rural: 65.2% of population

total: 47% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population3.230 million DAKAR (capital) (2021)1.991 million CONAKRY (capital) (2021)
Maternal mortality rate315 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)576 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight14.4% (2019)16.3% (2018)
Health expenditures4% (2018)3.9% (2018)
Physicians density0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2017)0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density0.3 beds/1,000 population (2008)0.3 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate8.8% (2016)7.7% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth21.9 years (2018 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49
19.9 years (2018 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 20-49
Demographic profile

Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal's high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country's large youth cohort - more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country's high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged.

Senegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa - and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country's economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants).

Additionally, about 16,000 Senegalese refugees still remain in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau as a result of more than 30 years of fighting between government forces and rebel separatists in southern Senegal's Casamance region.

Guinea's strong population growth is a result of declining mortality rates and sustained elevated fertility. The population growth rate was somewhat tempered in the 2000s because of a period of net outmigration. Although life expectancy and mortality rates have improved over the last two decades, the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continues to contribute to high infant and maternal mortality rates. Guinea's total fertility remains high at about 5 children per woman because of the ongoing preference for larger families, low contraceptive usage and availability, a lack of educational attainment and empowerment among women, and poverty. A lack of literacy and vocational training programs limit job prospects for youths, but even those with university degrees often have no option but to work in the informal sector. About 60% of the country's large youth population is unemployed.

Tensions and refugees have spilled over Guinea's borders with Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Cote d'Ivoire. During the 1990s Guinea harbored as many as half a million refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia, more refugees than any other African country for much of that decade. About half sought refuge in the volatile "Parrot's Beak" region of southwest Guinea, a wedge of land jutting into Sierra Leone near the Liberian border. Many were relocated within Guinea in the early 2000s because the area suffered repeated cross-border attacks from various government and rebel forces, as well as anti-refugee violence.

Contraceptive prevalence rate26.9% (2019)10.9% (2018)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 84.2

youth dependency ratio: 78.4

elderly dependency ratio: 5.7

potential support ratio: 17.5 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 85.2

youth dependency ratio: 79.7

elderly dependency ratio: 5.5

potential support ratio: 18.3 (2020 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook