Updated
Overview
Senegal has 25% more people than Guinea: 18.93 million against 15.10 million (2025).
Senegal's economy is 31% larger than Guinea's, at $37.01B versus $28.35B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Senegal | Guinea | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $37.01B | $28.35B | 2025 | $32.27B / $25.33B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $1,955 | $1,877 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 6.7% | Higher: 7.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 1.5% | 3.5% | 2025 | 0.8% / 8.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 5.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 36 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $279 | $192 | 2024 / 2019 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $106 | $46 | 2024 / 2020 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 18.93 million | 15.10 million | 2025 | 18.85 million / 14.37 million |
| Population growth | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 19.6 yrs | 18.3 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 3.71 | 4.04 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 68.9 yrs | 60.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 56% | 39% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 60% | 33% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 196,722 km² | 245,857 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 96.2/km² | 61.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 14 Mt | Lower: 4.03 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.8 t | Lower: 0.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $514.94M | $562.46M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 2.1% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 19,000 | 13,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Guinea is growing faster: 7.4% annual GDP growth versus 6.7%.
Guinea runs the hotter price environment: 3.5% inflation versus 1.5%.
Average monthly earnings favour Senegal: $279 against $192 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 19.6 (Senegal) and 18.3 (Guinea).
Life expectancy is 8.0 years longer in Senegal (68.9 vs 60.9).
Senegal is considerably more urbanized: 56% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Internet adoption is higher in Senegal (60% vs 33% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Senegal is 20% smaller than Guinea: 196,722 km² versus 245,857 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $514.94M (Senegal) and $562.46M (Guinea).
Senegal fields the larger armed forces: 19,000 personnel against 13,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Senegal bigger than Guinea?
- Guinea is larger by land area. Senegal covers 196,722 km² while Guinea covers 245,857 km², so Guinea is 25% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Senegal or Guinea?
- Senegal has the larger population: 18.93 million versus 15.10 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Senegal richer than Guinea?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Senegal is richer: $1,955 against $1,877. Total GDP tells the same story: $37.01B for Senegal versus $28.35B for Guinea.
- Who spends more on their military, Senegal or Guinea?
- Guinea spends more: $562.46M versus $514.94M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).