Senegal is a country located on the westernmost point of Africa. By the early 1800s France had gained control of the region and in 1895 made Senegal part of French West Africa. In 1959 Senegal joined with French Sudan, or present-day Mali, to form the Mali Federation which became independent in 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the Federation broke up a few months later, and Senegal and Mali proclaimed independence. Senegal remains one of the most stable democracies in Africa. It has an established multi-party system and a tradition of civilian rule. The 40-year rule of Senegal's Socialist Party came to a peaceful end with elections in 2000, which were hailed as a rare democratic power transfer on a continent plagued by coups, conflict and election fraud. The country has one of the region's more stable economies, although the agriculture-based economy is highly vulnerable to adverse weather conditions and fluctuations in world commodity prices.