People

The Senegalese population of about 9.1 million includes over a dozen ethnic groups. The most prominent among them are the Wolof, Serer and Peul. The largest of the three, the Wolof, makes up approximately 30 percent of the population. At the height of their power, the Wolofs created the kingdoms of Ovalo, Kayor, Bayol, and Dyolof, which disappeared in the course of the French military conquest of the country at the end of the 18th century. Wolof society was traditionally organized into castes according to birth and occupation. The griots—traditional oral storytellers of West Africa were part of this social order.

The downfall of the power of the Wolofs and the dismantling of their caste structures also allowed for the emergence of Islam till it became the dominant religion of the country. The Wolofs not just dominate the society but also have a strong hold on the economy and politics of Senegal. The domination by the Wolofs of the Senegalese society could have been a source of ethnic tensions and disharmony but instead acts as a unifying factor. Most Senegalese outside of the Casamance region speak Wolof as a second or third language.

Other minority groups include the Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%.
80% of the population of Senegal are Muslims; the rest practice Christianity and traditional religions.