Senegal is the westernmost nation of West Africa. It has a total area of 196,190 square kilometres. The country is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. The independent nation of The Gambia forms a virtual enclave of 11,295 square kilometres along the Gambia River in the southern part of Senegal. Except where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, the Gambia is entirely enveloped by Senegal’s south-western region.

Senegal can be divided into nine geographic or ecological regions. They are the Senegal River Valley, the Long Coast, West Central Agricultural Domain, Pastoral Domain, Casamance, Eastern Plains, Eastern Transition Zone, Dakar Region, and Shield Ecoregion.