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Geographical region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

, image_skyline = Senegal Casamance.png , image_caption = Casamance in Senegal , image_flag = Flag of Casamance.svg , image_shield = , motto = , nickname = , etymology = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Senegal , subdivision_type1 = , subdivision_name1 = , subdivision_type2 = , subdivision_name2 = , subdivision_type3 = , subdivision_name3 = , subdivision_type4 = , subdivision_name4 = , parts_type = Parts , parts_style = para , p1 =

Kolda Region Kolda is a region of Senegal (regional capitals have the same name as their respective regions). The region is also referred to historically and popularly as Haute Casamance. It's one of the 14 regions of the country and is located in the South ...

Sédhiou Region Sédhiou Region is a region of Senegal located in the southwest of the country in the natural region called Casamance. It was historically a department of the Kolda Region until 2008. It is located between the Kolda Region in the east and the Zi ...

and Ziguinchor Region , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = , pushpin_relief = , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , established_title = , established_date = , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = , area_total_sq_mi = , area_land_sq_mi = , area_water_sq_mi = , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = , elevation_ft = , population_as_of = , population_footnotes = , population_total = , population_density_km2 = auto , population_density_sq_mi= , population_demonym = , timezone1 = , utc_offset1 = , timezone1_DST = , utc_offset1_DST = , postal_code_type = , postal_code = , area_code_type = , area_code = , geocode = , iso_code = , website = , footnotes = Casamance (; french: Casamance ;

Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...

: Kasamansa; ff, Kasamansa; pt, Casamansa or ''Casamança'' ) is the area of Senegal south of the Gambia, including the Casamance River. It consists of the Lower Casamance (''Basse Casamance'', ''Baixa Casamança''—i.e. Ziguinchor Region) and the Upper Casamance (''Haute Casamance'', ''Alta Casamança''—i.e.

and

s). The largest city of Casamance is

Ziguinchor Ziguinchor (; wo, Siggcoor ; ar, زيغينكور) is the capital of the Ziguinchor Region, and the chief town of the Casamance area of Senegal, lying at the mouth of the Casamance River. It has a population of over 230,000 (2007 estimate). It ...

Peoples

Casamance is mainly inhabited by the Jola and

Bainuk The Bainuk people (also called Banyuk, Banun, Banyun, Bainouk, Bainunk, Banyum, Bagnoun, Banhum, Banyung, Ñuñ, Elomay, or Elunay) are an ethnic group that today lives primarily in Senegal as well as in parts of Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Histo ...

. Significant minority populations include the

Balanta Balanta may refer to: Surname * Ángelo Balanta, Colombian footballer * Deivy Balanta, Colombian footballer * Éder Álvarez Balanta, Colombian footballer * Kevin Balanta, Colombian footballer * Leyvin Balanta, Colombian footballer Ethnic gro ...

Mande Mande may refer to: * Mandé peoples of western Africa * Mande languages * Manding, a term covering a subgroup of Mande peoples, and sometimes used for one of them, Mandinka * Garo people of northeastern India and northern Bangladesh * Mande River ...

and Fulani. Casamance is religiously diverse, with the inhabitants practicing Islam, Christianity, and traditional African religions.

History

According to local legends, the Jola and Bainuk people are said to have inhabited Casamance for over a thousand years. Jola leaders ruled portions of Casamance, frequently under the nominal rule of

and Serer kingdoms to the north. From the 15th to 18th century, the Bainuk

Kasa kingdom The kingdom of Kasa, also known as Kasanga, was the dominant kingdom in lower Casamance (now Senegal) during the late 15th century. Most of the inhabitants of the realm were Banun or Kasanke. In the 15th century, Portuguese slave traders and nav ...

located in the Lower Casamance was the dominant state in the south. In the 15th century, Portuguese slave traders and navigators established a trading station in the area. They also formed trade relations with local Jola chiefs and the king of Kasa. The Casamance was subject to both French and Portuguese colonial efforts before a border was negotiated in 1888 between the French colony of Senegal and Portuguese Guinea (now Guinea-Bissau) to the south. Portugal lost possession of Casamance, then the commercial hub of its colony. Casamance, to this day, has preserved the local variant of Upper Guinea Creole known as Ziguinchor Creole, and the members of the deep-rooted Creole community carry Portuguese surnames like Da Silva, Carvalho and Fonseca. The historical ties to Portugal were a factor in Senegal's decision to seek membership of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), becoming an associate observer in 2008. Interest in Portuguese heritage has been revived in order to exert a distinct identity, particularly in Baixa Casamança. Bissau-Guineans are also present in the region, as expatriates, immigrants, and refugees from the poverty and instability that since long affects the neighbouring country, including the 1998–1999 Guinea-Bissau Civil War.

Separatist movement

Though the Jola are the dominant

ethnic group An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

in the Casamance, they represent only 4% of the total population of Senegal. The Jola's sense of economic disenfranchisement within greater Senegal contributed to the founding of a

separatist Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seeking greate ...

movement advocating the independence or autonomous administrative division of the Casamance, the

Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance The Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (french: Mouvement des forces démocratiques de Casamance; MFDC) is the main separatist movement in the Casamance region of Senegal, founded in 1982. It was supported by Guinea-Bissau President Jo ...

(MFDC), in 1982. The MFDC's armed wing was established in 1985, and in 1990 the

Casamance conflict The Casamance conflict is an ongoing low-level conflict that has been waged between the Government of Senegal and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) since 1982. On May 1, 2014 the leader of the MFDC sued for peace and declared a ...

began: a low-level insurgency led by the MFDC against the government of Senegal. The conflict has been characterized by sporadic violence and frequent but unstable ceasefire agreements. An illegal shipment of weapons hailing from Iran was seized in Lagos, Nigeria in October 2010, and the Senegalese government suspected the MFDC of having been the intended recipient of the weapons. Senegal recalled its ambassador to Tehran over the incident.

Geography and climate

The region is low-lying and hot, with some hills to the southeast. The entire Casamance region experiences a tropical savanna climate, with average rainfall greater than the rest of Senegal. The region is like the rest of Senegal: rainless from November to May, but during the rainy season from June to October, most areas receive over , and the furthest southwest as much as .

Economy

The economy of the Casamance relies largely on rice cultivation and tourism. It also has excellent beaches along its coastline, particularly at

Cap Skirring Cap Skirring, also spelled Cap Skiring, is a town on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Basse Casamance (Ziguinchor) region of Senegal. It is a popular seaside resort with Europeans and has an airport and a golf course. The town was first occupie ...

Ecology

Tree cover in Casamance is severely threatened by illegal logging.

References

* Vincent Foucher, "Church and nation. The Catholic contribution to war and peace in Casamance (Senegal)"
LFM. Social Sciences and Missions
N°13/October 2003

External links

Casamance.net
* Oxfam America
Background on the Casamance Conflict
* Alassane Diop

{{Coord, 13.0152, N, 15.3176, W, source:placeopedia, display=title Geography of Senegal Separatism in Senegal