Communes of Senegal

The communes of Saint-Louis and Gorée were established on 10 August 1872, followed by Rufisque and Dakar, created in 1880 and 1887 respectively. The inhabitants of these Four Communes enjoyed a privileged legal status. These first communes, known as communes de plein exercice (full communes), were modelled directly on the French commune.

Other towns, however, such as Thiès, Kaolack and Ziguinchor, grew increasingly important both demographically — they were more populous than Gorée or Rufisque — and economically.^[1] A decree of 1891 opened the possibility of promoting them to the rank of communes mixtes (mixed communes), as distinct from the full communes. The following were created as mixed communes:^[2] Thiès, Louga and Tivaouane (1904); Ziguinchor (1907); Mekhe (1911); Fatick, Foundiougne and Kaolack (1917); Diourbel (1918); Kébémer and Khombole (1925); Bambey, Mbour and Gossas (1926). Initially only towns in the coastal region could become mixed communes, but these provisions were extended to all colonies of French West Africa (AOF) in 1929. These communes were administered by an appointed mayor-administrator and a municipal commission — rather than an elected municipal council — whose members were appointed by the Governor until 1939, after which they were elected. A further wave of creations followed in 1952 with Kolda, Mbacké, Guinguinéo, Tambacounda, Matam and Podor.^[2]

The law of 18 November 1955 on the reorganisation of municipal government in French West Africa marked a decisive step in the decentralisation process: it reorganised the original four communes, established communes de moyen exercice (intermediate communes) with an appointed mayor-administrator and an elected municipal council, and elevated other localities to the status of full communes.

At independence in 1960, Senegal had 34 communes, all of full status. In 1961, following Gorée's absorption into Dakar, this number fell to 33.

Law No. 66-64 of 30 June 1966 defined the Municipal Administration Code and, in its Article 3, stipulated that a commune is any locality with a population of at least 1,000 inhabitants that has reached a level of development allowing it to balance its own budget from its own resources.^[a] Communes are considered legal persons under public law. At that date, the 33 communes were, in alphabetical order: Bakel, Bambey, Bignona, Dagana, Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Foundiougne, Gossas, Guinguinéo, Joal-Fadiouth, Kaolack, Kaffrine, Kébémer, Kédougou, Khombole, Kolda, Linguère, Louga, Matam, Mbacké, Mbour, Meckhé, Nioro du Rip, Oussouye, Podor, Saint-Louis, Sédhiou, Tambacounda, Thiès, Tivaouane, Vélingara and Ziguinchor.

In 1983, Decree No. 83-1128 created three communes in place of the former commune of Dakar: Dakar, Pikine and Rufisque. In 1990, Decree No. 90-1134 of 8 October 1990 separated Guédiawaye and Bargny from Pikine and Rufisque respectively, establishing them as independent communes. Decree No. 90-1135 of 8 October 1990 created nine further communes: Dahra, Koungheul, Ourossogui, Ndioum, Thionck Essyl, Goudomp, Marsassoum, Diofior and Pout.

Law No. 96-752 of 5 September 1996 created 12 additional communes: Kahone, Passy, Gandiaye, Ndoffane Laghème, Thilogne, Waoundé, Kanel, Golléré, Semmé, Nguékhokh, Thiadiaye and Sébikotane.

Decree No. 2002-171 of 21 February 2002 created seven further communes — Diamniadio, Mboro, Kayar, Ranérou, Rosso, Diawara and Ndiandane — bringing the total number of urban communes to 67.

Decree No. 2008-748 of 10 July 2008^[b] significantly increased the number of communes — now 108 — with 41 new creations: Karang Poste, Soum, Nganda, Birkelane, Malem Hodar, Keur Madiabel, Saraya, Salémata, Médina Yoro Foulah, Pata, Dabo, Salikégné, Saré Yoba Diéga, Kounkané, Diaobé-Kabendou, Guéoul, Sinthiou Bamambé-Banadji, Dembancané, Hamady Ounaré, Mpal, Ross Béthio, Gaé, Mboumba, Guédé Chantier, Démette, Galoya Toucouleur, Diannah Malary, Samine, Tanaff, Diattacounda, Bounkiling, Madina Wandifa, Kidira, Goudiry, Kothiary, Koumpentoum, Saly Portudal, Ngaparou, Somone, Popenguine-Ndayane and Diouloulou.

Six months later, on 31 December 2008 — just weeks before the local elections of 22 March 2009 — five further localities were communalised by decree, on account of their economic potential, geographic position and demographic size:^[c] one in the Koumpentoum Department, Malem Niani, and four in the Podor Department: Aéré Lao, Pété, Walaldé and Bodé Lao.

From that point, Senegal had 113 so-called communes de ville (urban communes), in addition to 46 communes d'arrondissement for the largest cities.

In 2013 Senegal passed Act III of Decentralization, which abolished rural communities, and transformed all rural, urban and arrodissements communes into simply communes.^[3]

• Rural communities of Senegal