If you could go anywhere in Africa, where would you go?

I think you know where in Africa I would choose :) 

I leave for Senegal in about a week! Here are some facts about this fine country in West Africa:

Capital: Dakar, Senegal (metro area pop.: 2.5 million)

Population of the country: 12.4 million

Languages: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Voting: Everyone over the age of 18 can vote

Religions: Muslim 94%, Christian 5%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Main exports: fish, peanuts, petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

My brief summary of their political history: 

Senegal achieved independence from France on April 4, 1960 (they were previously a French colony). Leopold Senghor becomes the country's first president at this time. In 1981, Abdou Diouf succeeds him-- both of these presidents were part of a socialist party. Abdoulaye Wade, Senegal's current president, gained power in 2000. He began the Senegalese Democratic Party. The BBC states that "Senegal has been held up as one of Africa's model democracies."

Since AIDS in Africa is something of interest here are some stats. Thankfully Senegal's numbers are extremely low:

-According to USAID, about 0.7% of the Senegalese population (children and adults) were estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in Senegal at the end of 2003.

-To compare, the CDC says that about 0.4% of the United States population (children and adults) were living with HIV/AIDS  at the end of 2003 (CDC and US census).

-1.5% was the adult HIV prevalence rate in Senegal (end of 2003) (USAID).

(Information collected from BBC site, CIA site, Wikipedia, USAID, CDC, US census, and my percentage calculations based on their data.)

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I will be staying with a host family in Dakar, which is right on the coast! Here is a better picture of the country: