Senegal River relates the legend that both the Senegal and the Egyptian Nile were branches of the Biblical Gihon River that stems from the Garden of Eden and flows through Ethiopia. He also notes that the Senegal was called "the Niger" by the ancients - probably a reference to Ptolemy's legendary 'Nigir' (Νιγειρ) (below the Gir), which would be later identified by Leo Africanus with the modern Niger River. Much the same story is repeated by Marmol in 1573, with the additional note that both the Senegal River and Gambia River were tributaries of the Niger River. However, the contemporary African atlas
Senegal Sall. This peaceful and democratic transition was hailed by many foreign observers, such as the EU as a show of "maturity". On 19 September 2012, lawmakers voted to do away with the Senate to save an estimated $15 million. Senegal is subdivided into 14 regions, each administered by a "Conseil Régional" (Regional Council) elected by population weight at the "Arrondissement" level. The country is further subdivided by 45 "Départements", 113 "Arrondissements" (neither of which have administrative function) and by "Collectivités Locales", which elect administrative officers. Regional capitals have the same name as their respective regions: Senegal has a high profile