Senegal's growth has been sluggish in recent years, with implications for poverty reduction. Average growth was relatively strong in 1995-2005 and accompanied by a large drop in poverty incidence. Due partly to a series of exogenous shocks, growth decreased to an average of 3.3 percent in 2006-11. As a result, per capita income increased only modestly and poverty incidence barely decreased during this period and remains high. Wide disparities exist between rural areas, where poverty incidence is higher than the national average, and urban areas.