Dakar is the capital city of Senegal, located on the Cap-Vert peninsula at the country's Atlantic coast. Its position, on the western edge of Africa (it is, in fact, the westernmost African city), is an advantageous departure point for trans-Atlantic and European trade; this fact aided its growth into a major regional port. Population (2000): 2,079,000.

Dakar is a major administrative centre, home to the Senegal National Assembly and Senegal Presidential Palace.

History

The city of Dakar formed around a French fort. It was founded in 1857 after residents moved from the nearby island of Gorée. It grew as a port and around a railway to Saint-Louis, opened in 1885 but now only used for special excursions. The city later became a naval base, and replaced Saint-Louis as the capital of French West Africa in 1902. It was the capital of the short-lived Mali Federation from 1959 to 1960, after which it became the capital of Senegal.

From the 16th to the 19th centuries, Goreé and later Dakar were major centers of the Atlantic slave trade. More enslaved Africans were shipped through Dakar to the Western Hemisphere (including South America, the American colonies, and the Caribbean) than through any other single port in Africa. The Fort D'Estrees on Gorée Island, where slaves were held, auctioned, and packed onto ships, was restored by the Senegalese government in the 20th century and transformed into a museum. French West Africa had its headquarters here when it was founded, in 1862.

Sights

Attractions in Dakar include major markets, Dakar Grand Mosque (built in 1964), the IFAN Museum of West African culture, clifftop walks and beaches and Hann Park, home to Senegal Zoo.

Transportation

The town is also a port and is home to the Leopold Sedar Senghor International Airport.

Miscellaneous

Dakar is the finishing point of the Paris Dakar Rally and Dakar is member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. There is a university in Dakar, established in 1957.