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Dakar

Dakar (/dɑːˈkɑːr, dæˈkɑːr/ UK also: /ˈdækɑːr/;[5] French: [dakaʁ]; Wolof: Ndakaaru)[6] (from daqaar tamarind), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2021.

Dakar
Left to right from top: Place de l'Indépendance, Gorée, Mosque of the Divinity, Soumbedioune boats of Médina, Ngor beach
City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes d'arrondissement
Dakar
Location within Senegal
Dakar
Dakar (Africa)
Coordinates: 14°41′34″N 17°26′48″W / 14.69278°N 17.44667°W / 14.69278; -17.44667Coordinates: 14°41′34″N 17°26′48″W / 14.69278°N 17.44667°W / 14.69278; -17.44667
CountrySenegal
RégionDakar
DépartementDakar
Settled15th century
Communes d'arrondissement
19
  • Cambérène
  • Parcelles Assaines
  • Pattie d'Oies
  • Hann Bel-Air
  • Dieuppeul Derklé
  • HLM
  • Biscuiterie
  • Grand Dakar
  • Plateau
  • Médina
  • Fass-Gueule Tapée-Colobane
  • Fann Point-E
  • Mermoz-Sacré-Coeur
  • Ouakam
  • Yoff
  • Ngor
  • Liberté
  • Grand-Yoff
  • Cape Verde Peninsula
Government
 • MayorBarthélemy Dias (2022) (BSS/PS)
Area
 • Capital city83 km2 (32 sq mi)
Elevation22 m (72 ft)
Population
 (2013 Census)[3]
 • Capital city1,146,052
 • Estimate 
(2021)[4]
1,438,725
 • Density12,510/km2 (32,400/sq mi)
 • Metro
3,938,358[1]
 • Metro density4,484/km2 (11,610/sq mi)
 Data here are for the administrative Dakar région, which matches almost exactly the limits of the metropolitan area
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
Websitevillededakar.sn

The area around Dakar was colonized by the Portuguese in the early 15th century. The Portuguese established a presence on the island of Gorée off the coast of Cap-Vert and used it as a base for the Atlantic slave trade. France took over the island in 1677. Following the abolition of the slave trade and French annexation of the mainland area in the 19th century, Dakar grew into a major regional port and a major city of the French colonial empire. In 1902, Dakar replaced Saint-Louis as the capital of French West Africa. From 1959 to 1960, Dakar was the capital of the short-lived Mali Federation. In 1960, it became the capital of the independent Republic of Senegal.

History

The Cap-Vert peninsula was settled no later than the 15th century, by the Lebu people, an aquacultural subgroup of the Wolof ethnic group. The original villages—Ouakam, Ngor, Yoff and Hann—still constitute distinctively Lebou neighborhoods of the city today. In 1444, the Portuguese reached the Bay of Dakar.[7][8][9] Peaceful contact was finally opened in 1456 by Diogo Gomes, and the bay was subsequently referred to as the "Angra de Bezeguiche" (after the name of the local ruler).[10] The bay of "Bezeguiche" would go on to serve as a critical stop for the Portuguese India Armadas of the early 16th century, where large fleets would routinely stop, both on their outward and return journeys from India, to repair, collect fresh water from the rivulets and wells along the Cap-Vert shore and trade for provisions with the local people for their remaining voyage.[10] (It was famously during one of these stops, in 1501, where the Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci began to construct his "New World" hypothesis about America.[11])

The Portuguese eventually founded a settlement on the island of Gorée (then known as the island of Bezeguiche or Palma), which by 1536 they began to use as a base for slave exportation. The mainland of Cap-Vert, however, was under control of the Jolof Empire, as part of the western province of Cayor which seceded from Jolof in its own right in 1549. A new Lebou village, called Ndakaaru, was established directly across from Gorée in the 17th century to service the European trading factory with food and drinking water. Gorée was captured by the United Netherlands in 1588, which gave it its present name (spelled Goeree, after Goeree-Overflakkee in the Netherlands).[citation needed] The island was to switch hands between the Portuguese and Dutch several more times before falling to the English under Admiral Robert Holmes on January 23, 1664, and finally to the French in 1677. Though under continuous French administration since, métis families, descended from Dutch and French traders and African wives, dominated the slave trade. The infamous "House of Slaves" was built at Gorée in 1776.

In 1795, the Lebou of Cape Verde revolted against Cayor rule. A new theocratic state, subsequently called the "Lebou Republic" by the French, was established under the leadership of the Diop, a Muslim clerical family originally from Koki in Cayor. The capital of the republic was established at Ndakaaru. In 1857 the French established a military post at Ndakaaru (which they called "Dakar") and annexed the Lebou Republic, though its institutions continued to function nominally. The Serigne (also spelled Sëriñ, "Lord") of Ndakaaru is still recognized as the traditional political authority of the Lebou by the Senegalese State today.[citation needed]

The slave trade was abolished by France in February 1794. However, Napoleon reinstated it in May 1802, then finally abolished it permanently in March 1815. Despite Napoleon's abolition, a clandestine slave trade continued at Gorée until 1848, when it was abolished throughout all French territories. To replace trade in slaves, the French promoted peanut cultivation on the mainland. As the peanut trade boomed, tiny Gorée Island, whose population had grown to 6,000 residents, proved ineffectual as a port. Traders from Gorée decided to move to the mainland and a "factory" with warehouses was established in Rufisque in 1840.[citation needed]

 
A public water well, 1899

Large public expenditure for infrastructure was allocated by the colonial authorities to Dakar's development. The port facilities were improved with jetties, a telegraph line was established along the coast to Saint-Louis and the Dakar-Saint-Louis railway was completed in 1885, at which point the city became an important base for the conquest of the Western Sudan.

Gorée, including Dakar, was recognised as a French commune in 1872. Dakar itself was split off from Gorée as a separate commune in 1887. The citizens of the city elected their own mayor and municipal council and helped send an elected representative to the National Assembly in Paris. Dakar replaced Saint-Louis as the capital of French West Africa in 1902.[12] A second major railroad, the Dakar-Niger built from 1906 to 1923, linked Dakar to Bamako and consolidated the city's position at the head of France's West African empire.[citation needed] In 1929, the commune of Gorée Island, now with only a few hundred inhabitants, was merged into Dakar.

 
Dakar Entrepôt. c. 1900

Urbanization during the colonial period was marked by forms of racial and social segregation—often expressed in terms of health and hygiene—which continue to structure the city today. Following a plague epidemic in 1914, the authorities forced most of the African population out of old neighborhoods, or "Plateau", and into a new quarter, called Médina, separated from it by a "sanitary cordon". As first occupants of the land, the Lebou inhabitants of the city successfully resisted this expropriation. They were supported by Blaise Diagne, the first African to be elected Deputy to the National Assembly. Nonetheless, the Plateau thereafter became an administrative, commercial, and residential district increasingly reserved for Europeans and served as model for similar exclusionary administrative enclaves in French Africa's other colonial capitals (Bamako, Conakry, Abidjan, Brazzaville). Meanwhile, the Layene Sufi order, established by Seydina Mouhammadou Limamou Laye, was thriving among the Lebou in Yoff and in a new village called Cambérène. Since independence, urbanization has sprawled eastward past Pikine, a commuter suburb whose population (2001 est. 1,200,000) is greater than that of Dakar proper, to Rufisque, creating a conurbation of almost 3 million (over a quarter of the national population).[citation needed]

 
Harbor Dakar, 1905

In its colonial heyday Dakar was one of the major cities of the French Empire, comparable to Hanoi or Beirut.[citation needed] French trading firms established branch offices there and industrial investments (mills, breweries, refineries, canneries) were attracted by its port and rail facilities. It was also strategically important to France, which maintained an important naval base and coaling station in its harbor and which integrated it into its earliest air force and airmail circuits, most notably with the legendary Mermoz airfield (no longer extant).

In 1940, Dakar became involved in the Second World War when General de Gaulle, leader of the Free French Forces, sought to make the city the base of his resistance operations. The object was to raise the Free French flag in West Africa, to occupy Dakar and thus start to consolidate the French resistance of its colonies in Africa. The plan had British naval support when fighting alone against the Axis powers. However, due to delays and the plan becoming known, Dakar had already come under the influence of the German controlled will of the Vichy government. With the arrival of French naval forces under Vichy control and faced by stubborn defences onshore, de Gaulle's proposals were resisted and the Battle of Dakar ensued off the coast lasting three days September 23–25, 1940, between the Vichy defences and the attack of the Free French and British navy. The enterprise was abandoned after appreciable naval losses. Although the initiative on Dakar failed, General de Gaulle was able to establish himself at Douala in the Cameroons which became the rallying point for the resistance of the Free French cause.[13][14][15]

 
Mural in Dakar commemorating the Thiaroye massacre. It reads "Thiaroye '44, an unforgettable event".

In November 1944 West African conscripts in the French army mutinied against poor conditions at the Thiaroye camp, on the outskirts of the city. The mutiny was seen as an indictment of the colonial system and constituted a watershed for the nationalist movement. On December 1, 1944, French soldiers guarding the camp opened fire on the West African soldiers. Accounts of the death toll range from around 35 (the official French account) to over 300 (army veterans active at the time).

Dakar was the capital of the short-lived Mali Federation from 1959 to 1960, after which it became the capital of Senegal. The poet, philosopher and first President of Senegal Léopold Sédar Senghor tried to transform Dakar into the "Sub-Saharan African Athens" (l'Athènes de l'Afrique subsaharienne),[16] as his vision was for it.

Dakar is a major financial center, home to a dozen national and regional banks (including the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO) which manages the unified West African CFA franc currency), and to numerous international organizations, NGOs and international research centers. Dakar has a large Lebanese community (concentrated in the import-export sector) that dates to the 1920s, a community of Moroccan business people, as well as Mauritanian, Cape Verdean, and Guinean communities. The city is home to as many as 20,000 French expatriates.[citation needed] France still maintains an air force base at Yoff and the French fleet is serviced in Dakar's port.

Beginning 1978 and until 2007, Dakar was frequently the ending point of the Dakar Rally.

Geography

 
View of Dakar from the International Space Station in 2011

Dakar is located on the Cap-Vert peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland.

Climate

The Dakarois climate is generally very warm. Dakar has an ocean-influenced hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSh), with a short rainy season and a lengthy dry season. Dakar's rainy season lasts from July to October while the dry season covers the remaining eight months. The city sees approximately 411 mm (16.2 in) of rainfall per year.

Dakar between December and May is usually very warm with daily temperatures around 25–28 °C (77.0–82.4 °F). Nights during this time of the year are warm, some 18–20 °C (64.4–68.0 °F). However, between May and November the city becomes decidedly hotter with daily highs reaching 29–31 °C (84.2–87.8 °F) and night lows a little bit above 23–25 °C (73.4–77.0 °F). Notwithstanding this hotter season Dakar's weather is far from being so hot as experienced in inland Sahelian cities like Niamey and N'Djamena, where temperatures hover above 36 °C (96.8 °F) for much of the year. Dakar is cooled year-round by sea breezes.

Climate data for Dakar International Airport, Senegal (1961–1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 36.5
(97.7)
39.8
(103.6)
40.4
(104.7)
34.7
(94.5)
33.8
(92.8)
39.4
(102.9)
33.5
(92.3)
34.5
(94.1)
34.8
(94.6)
37.8
(100.0)
40.3
(104.5)
39.5
(103.1)
40.4
(104.7)
Average high °C (°F) 26.1
(79.0)
25.0
(77.0)
25.7
(78.3)
25.3
(77.5)
26.4
(79.5)
29.0
(84.2)
30.3
(86.5)
30.6
(87.1)
31.1
(88.0)
31.5
(88.7)
30.4
(86.7)
28.3
(82.9)
28.3
(82.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 19.9
(67.8)
20.5
(68.9)
20.9
(69.6)
21.4
(70.5)
22.7
(72.9)
25.5
(77.9)
26.9
(80.4)
27.3
(81.1)
27.4
(81.3)
27.4
(81.3)
25.4
(77.7)
22.5
(72.5)
24.0
(75.2)
Average low °C (°F) 18.6
(65.5)
18.2
(64.8)
18.6
(65.5)
19.4
(66.9)
20.9
(69.6)
23.8
(74.8)
25.3
(77.5)
25.3
(77.5)
25.3
(77.5)
25.7
(78.3)
23.8
(74.8)
21.2
(70.2)
22.0
(71.6)
Record low °C (°F) 14.0
(57.2)
15.0
(59.0)
16.0
(60.8)
16.5
(61.7)
17.2
(63.0)
19.5
(67.1)
21.5
(70.7)
21.3
(70.3)
18.9
(66.0)
17.5
(63.5)
17.9
(64.2)
17.0
(62.6)
14.0
(57.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 2.0
(0.08)
1.0
(0.04)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
10.0
(0.39)
61.0
(2.40)
165.0
(6.50)
134.0
(5.28)
37.0
(1.46)
1.0
(0.04)
1.0
(0.04)
411
(16.2)
Average rainy days 1.9 1.1 1.1 0.3 0.5 2.0 7.0 12.8 9.4 2.9 1.4 1.4 41.8
Average relative humidity (%) 69 75 76 79 79 78 77 79 81 79 74 66 76
Mean monthly sunshine hours 244.9 245.8 285.2 288.0 291.4 252.0 232.5 223.2 219.0 257.3 249.0 238.7 3,031.6
Source: DWD[17]
Dakar mean sea temperature[18]
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
22 °C (72 °F) 20 °C (68 °F) 20 °C (68 °F) 21 °C (70 °F) 23 °C (73 °F) 25 °C (77 °F) 27 °C (81 °F) 27 °C (81 °F) 27 °C (81 °F) 27 °C (81 °F) 27 °C (81 °F) 24 °C (75 °F) 24 °C (75 °F)

Climate change

A 2019 paper published in PLOS One estimated that under Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5, a "moderate" scenario of climate change where global warming reaches ~2.5–3 °C (4.5–5.4 °F) by 2100, the climate of Dakar in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of Praia in Cape Verde. The annual temperature would increase by 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), and the temperature of the warmest and the coldest month by 1.4 °C (2.5 °F) and 1.6 °C (2.9 °F), respectively.[19][20] According to Climate Action Tracker, the current warming trajectory appears consistent with 2.7 °C (4.9 °F), which closely matches RCP 4.5.[21]

Moreover, according to the 2022 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, Dakar is one of 12 major African cities (Abidjan, Alexandria, Algiers, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Lagos, Lomé, Luanda and Maputo) which would be the most severely affected by future sea level rise. It estimates that they would collectively sustain cumulative damages of US$65 billion under RCP 4.5 and US$86.5 billion for the high-emission scenario RCP 8.5 by the year 2050. Additionally, RCP 8.5 combined with the hypothetical impact from marine ice sheet instability at high levels of warming would involve up to US$137.5 billion in damages, while the additional accounting for the "low-probability, high-damage events" may increase aggregate risks to US$187 billion for the "moderate" RCP4.5, US$206 billion for RCP8.5 and US$397 billion under the high-end ice sheet instability scenario.[22] Since sea level rise would continue for about 10,000 years under every scenario of climate change, future costs of sea level rise would only increase, especially without adaptation measures.[23]

Administration

 
Market street in the working class Gueule Tapée quarter
 
Residential street in the upscale Mermoz quarter

The city of Dakar is a commune (also sometimes known as commune de ville), one of the some 125 communes of Senegal. The commune of Dakar was created by the French colonial administration on June 17, 1887, by detaching it from the commune of Gorée. The commune of Gorée, created in 1872, was itself one of the oldest Western-style municipalities in Africa (along with the municipalities of Algeria and South Africa).

The commune of Dakar has been in continuous existence since 1887, being preserved by the new state of Senegal after independence in 1960, although its limits have varied considerably over time. The limits of the commune of Dakar have been unchanged since 1983. The commune of Dakar is ruled by a democratically elected municipal council (conseil municipal) serving five years, and a mayor elected by the municipal council. There have been 20 mayors in Dakar since 1887. The first black mayor was Blaise Diagne, mayor of Dakar from 1924 to 1934. The longest-serving mayor was Mamadou Diop, mayor for 18 years between 1984 and 2002.

The commune of Dakar is also a department, one of the 45 departments of Senegal. This situation is quite similar to Paris, which is both a commune and a department. However, contrary to French departments, departments in Senegal have no political power (no departmental assembly), and are merely local administrative structures of the central state, in charge of carrying out some administrative services as well as controlling the activities of the communes within the department.

The department of Dakar is divided into four arrondissements: Almadies, Grand Dakar, Parcelles Assainies (which literally means "drained lots"; this is the most populous arrondissement of Dakar), and Plateau/Gorée (downtown Dakar).[24] These arrondissements are quite different from the arrondissements of Paris, being merely local administrative structures of the central state, like the Senegalese departments, and are thus more comparable to French departmental arrondissements.

 
The Assemblée nationale on the Plateau, the heart of old Dakar

In 1996 a massive reform of the administrative and political divisions of Senegal was voted by the Parliament of Senegal. The commune of Dakar, whose population approached 1 million inhabitants, was deemed too large and too populated to be properly managed by a central municipality, and thus on August 30, 1996, Dakar was divided into 19 communes d'arrondissement. These communes d'arrondissement were given extensive powers, and are very much like regular communes. They have more powers than the arrondissements of Paris, and are more akin to the London boroughs. The commune of Dakar was maintained above these 19 communes d'arrondissement, and it coordinates the activities of the communes d'arrondissement, much as Greater London coordinates the activities of the London boroughs. The 19 communes d'arrondissement belong to either of the four arrondissements of Dakar, and the sous-préfet of each arrondissement is in charge of controlling the activities of the communes d'arrondissement in his arrondissement.

 
Dakar Central Station

The commune d'arrondissement of Dakar-Plateau (34,626 inhabitants), in the arrondissement of Plateau/Gorée, is the historical heart of the city, and most ministries and public administrations are located there. The densest and most populous commune d'arrondissement is Médina (136,697 inhabitants), in the arrondissement of Plateau/Gorée. The commune d'arrondissement of Yoff (55,995 inhabitants), in the arrondissement of Almadies, is the largest one, while the smallest one is the commune d'arrondissement of Île de Gorée (1,034 inhabitants), in the arrondissement of Plateau/Gorée.

Dakar is one of the 14 régions of Senegal. The Dakar région encompasses the city of Dakar and all its suburbs along the Cape Verde Peninsula. Its territory is thus roughly the same as the territory of the metropolitan area of Dakar. Since the administrative reforms of 1996, the régions of Senegal, which until then were merely local administrative structures of the central state, have been turned into full-fledged political units, with democratically elected regional councils, and regional presidents. They were given extensive powers, and manage economic development, transportation, or environmental protection issues at the regional level, thus coordinating the actions of the communes below them.

Notable sites

 
Deux Mamelles seen from afar, with the African Renaissance Monument on the left and Les Mamelles Lighthouse on the right

The city of Dakar is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities, and contains several landmarks. One of the most notable is Deux Mamelles, twin hills located in Ouakam commune. The hills are the only high ground in the city, providing views of the entire area and sweeping views of the city. The first hill is topped with Mamelles Lighthouse built in 1864. The second hill has the newly completed African Renaissance Monument built on top, which is considered the tallest statue in Africa.[25]

Other landmarks of the city include the medina quarter located in Médina commune. Médina is originally built as a township for local populace during the French colonial-era. Today it is a traditional commercial center packed with tailors' shops. The most notable street market is Soumbédioune, which is also a major tourist attraction. The quarter also houses Dakar Grand Mosque at the heart of the commune, which is built in 1964 and one of the prominent landmarks of the city.[26][27]

 
Beach in Dakar

Dakar is flanked by two small islands, Île de N'Gor and Île de Gorée. The former is on the northern shore of N'Gor commune with beaches providing attractions such as surfing. N'Gor commune also has other popular beach resorts such as Plage de N'Gor.[28] Île de Gorée, formerly a slave island, is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site which preserves the colonial era architectures and facilities. The notable places on the island is Gorée Memorial which is a memorial for the slaves, and the House of Slaves which is a museum dedicated to the Atlantic slave trade. Today, the island is also hosting the art scene of the hundreds of local artists who line up their works at the outdoor exhibitions.[29][30]

Some other notable places include Layen Mausoleum which entombs the founder of the Layene Sufi tariqa, Palais Présidentiel which is the seat of the government constructed in 1907,[31] Place de l'Indépendance which is the central square of Dakar, Dakar Cathedral, and Cheikh Anta Diop University also known as the University of Dakar, which was established in 1957.

Places of worship

Among the places of worship, there are predominantly Muslim mosques.[32] There are also Christian churches and temples : Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dakar (Catholic Church), Assemblies of God, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.

Dakar was selected as the Capital of Islamic Culture for African Region for the year 2007 by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), honoring its Islamic heritage.[33] ISESCO and its parent organization Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have held several regional and international conferences in the city,[34] best known for adoption of Dakar Declaration in 1991 which aimed at fostering the cooperation between the member states.[35] Dakar is also known as the birthplace of the Layene Brotherhood, a Sufi tariqa founded by Seydina Mouhammadou Limamou Laye in 1883 at the commune of Yoff. Seydina is buried in the Layen Mausoleum which is among the major landmarks of Dakar.[36] Today, Layene Brotherhood is consisted mostly of the Lebou people, and based in the Cap-Vert area. It is also the third biggest Sufi order in Senegal.

Prominent worshiping sites for Muslims in Dakar include the Grand Mosque of Dakar, built in 1964, which is situated at Allée Pape Gueye Fall of Medina, the Mosque of the Divinity, constructed in 1973, situated in Ouakam, with the characteristic triangular windows, and Omarienne Mosque with minarets topped by green orbs.[30][37]

Culture

 
N'dawrabine dance of Ngor

In Senegal the traditional culture is very centred around the idea of family. This even includes the way that they eat. When it is time to eat a typical meal someone will say "kay lekk" which means 'come eat'. Everyone will come together and sit around the plate and eat with their hands.[38] Some famous dishes include Cebbu Jën (Tiéboudienne) and Yassa. The etiquette of people in Dakar is very simple but very vital. To not greet someone upon sight is to portray rudeness and oftentimes ignorance. Due to French colonialism the children of Dakar have a unique school system. The school will get a break at about midday and return home to get some rest. Since the population is majority Muslim there are daily activities such as going to the mosque at noon prayer and attending the mosque on Fridays. Music has a big influence on the youth with famous artists like Daara J Family who use their voice to represent the problems in their communities.[39]

Dakar is home to multiple national and international festivals, like World Festival of Black Arts, Festival international du film de quartier de Dakar, Dakar Biennale. It was also the location of Taf Taf, an international artist residency program.[40]

Museums

Sports

Sports club AS Douanes are based in Sicap-Liberté; they play in the Senegal Premier League and previously won the 2014–15 Ligue 1 (Senegal) season.

Dakar used to be the finishing point of the Dakar Rally until 2007, before the event was moved to South America for the security concerns in Mauritania.[42]

Dakar was set to host the 2022 edition of the Youth Summer Olympics, however, the games have been postponed to 2026, it will be the first of its kind Olympics ever held in Africa.[43]

Transport

The town is home to the Autonomous Port of Dakar and the terminus of the non-functioning Dakar-Niger railroad line.

The Train Express Regional Dakar-AIBD (TER) will connect Dakar with Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD). An initial 36 km will link Dakar to Diamniadio and a second phase of 19 km would connect Dakar to the Blaise Diagne airport. A total of 14 train stations will be served and the fastest end-to-end journey will take 45 minutes. The railway is expected to carry 115 000 passengers per day. The TER's first test run launched on 14 January 2019 and the first passenger train ran in December 2021.[44][45][46]

Blaise Diagne International Airport is the city's international airport; it handles flights by several airlines, including Air France, Delta, Emirates and Emirates Sky Cargo, Iberia, TAP Air Portugal and Turkish, and is the hub of Senegal's flag carrier, Air Senegal.

Notable people

International relations

Dakar is twinned with:[47]

References

  1. ^ National Statistics Agency. "Population Projections 2013–2063" (PDF). Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. ^ "climatemps.com".
  3. ^ National Statistics Agency. "Population Projections 2013–2063" (PDF). Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  4. ^ National Statistics Agency. "Population Projections 2013–2063" (PDF). Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "Dakar". Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved 17 December 2022. ("Definition of Dakar from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press")
  6. ^ "Dakar – definition of Dakar". The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 29 October 2013. /dəˈkɑːr, dɑːˈkɑːr, ˈdækər/ "Define Dakar". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  7. ^ Dinis Dias doubled Cap-Vert in 1444, but it is unclear if he sailed into the bay itself. Álvaro Fernandes anchored at the uninhabited island of Goree and lured and captured two natives off a Lebou fishing canoe before being driven off. The large slaving fleet of Lançarote de Freitas anchored in the bay, but their attempts to reach the mainland shore were fended off by missile fire and took no captives. The subsequent fleets of Estêvão Afonso (1446) and Valarte (1447) stopped briefly at Goree, but were also fended off the shores and took no captives. In the aftermath, Prince Henry the Navigator suspended all Portuguese expeditions beyond Cap-Vert for nearly a decade. There are no more recorded attempts until contact was made in 1456. (As reported in the 1453 chronicle of Gomes Eanes de Zurara)
  8. ^ B.W. Diffie and G.D. Winius (1977) Foundations of the Portuguese empire, 1415–1580 Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, pp.83-85
  9. ^ A. Teixeira da Mota (1946) "A descoberta da Guiné", Boletim cultural da Guiné Portuguesa, Vol. 1. No. 2 (Apr), p. 273-326.
  10. ^ a b A. Teixeira da Mota (1968) "Ilha de Santiago e Angra de Bezeguiche, escalas da carreira da India", Do tempo e da historia, Lisbon, v.3, pp.141-49.
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Bibliography

External links

dakar, this, article, about, capital, largest, city, senegal, other, uses, disambiguation, confused, with, bangladesh, capital, city, dhaka, ɑː, ɑːr, ɑːr, also, ɑːr, french, dakaʁ, wolof, ndakaaru, from, daqaar, tamarind, capital, largest, city, senegal, city,. This article is about the capital and largest city of Senegal For other uses see Dakar disambiguation Not to be confused with Bangladesh s capital city Dhaka Dakar d ɑː ˈ k ɑːr d ae ˈ k ɑːr UK also ˈ d ae k ɑːr 5 French dakaʁ Wolof Ndakaaru 6 from daqaar tamarind is the capital and largest city of Senegal The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1 030 594 whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3 94 million in 2021 DakarCapital cityLeft to right from top Place de l Independance Goree Mosque of the Divinity Soumbedioune boats of Medina Ngor beachFlagSealCity of Dakar divided into 19 communes d arrondissementDakarLocation within SenegalShow map of SenegalDakarDakar Africa Show map of AfricaCoordinates 14 41 34 N 17 26 48 W 14 69278 N 17 44667 W 14 69278 17 44667 Coordinates 14 41 34 N 17 26 48 W 14 69278 N 17 44667 W 14 69278 17 44667CountrySenegalRegionDakarDepartementDakarSettled15th centuryCommunes d arrondissement19 CambereneParcelles AssainesPattie d OiesHann Bel AirDieuppeul DerkleHLMBiscuiterieGrand DakarPlateauMedinaFass Gueule Tapee ColobaneFann Point EMermoz Sacre CoeurOuakamYoffNgorLiberteGrand YoffCape Verde PeninsulaGovernment MayorBarthelemy Dias 2022 BSS PS Area Capital city83 km2 32 sq mi Elevation 2 22 m 72 ft Population 2013 Census 3 Capital city1 146 052 Estimate 2021 4 1 438 725 Density12 510 km2 32 400 sq mi Metro3 938 358 1 Metro density4 484 km2 11 610 sq mi Data here are for the administrative Dakar region which matches almost exactly the limits of the metropolitan areaTime zoneUTC 0 GMT Websitevillededakar snThe area around Dakar was colonized by the Portuguese in the early 15th century The Portuguese established a presence on the island of Goree off the coast of Cap Vert and used it as a base for the Atlantic slave trade France took over the island in 1677 Following the abolition of the slave trade and French annexation of the mainland area in the 19th century Dakar grew into a major regional port and a major city of the French colonial empire In 1902 Dakar replaced Saint Louis as the capital of French West Africa From 1959 to 1960 Dakar was the capital of the short lived Mali Federation In 1960 it became the capital of the independent Republic of Senegal Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2 1 Climate 2 1 1 Climate change 3 Administration 4 Notable sites 5 Places of worship 6 Culture 6 1 Museums 7 Sports 8 Transport 9 Notable people 10 International relations 11 References 12 Bibliography 13 External linksHistory EditFor a chronological guide see Timeline of Dakar The Cap Vert peninsula was settled no later than the 15th century by the Lebu people an aquacultural subgroup of the Wolof ethnic group The original villages Ouakam Ngor Yoff and Hann still constitute distinctively Lebou neighborhoods of the city today In 1444 the Portuguese reached the Bay of Dakar 7 8 9 Peaceful contact was finally opened in 1456 by Diogo Gomes and the bay was subsequently referred to as the Angra de Bezeguiche after the name of the local ruler 10 The bay of Bezeguiche would go on to serve as a critical stop for the Portuguese India Armadas of the early 16th century where large fleets would routinely stop both on their outward and return journeys from India to repair collect fresh water from the rivulets and wells along the Cap Vert shore and trade for provisions with the local people for their remaining voyage 10 It was famously during one of these stops in 1501 where the Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci began to construct his New World hypothesis about America 11 The Portuguese eventually founded a settlement on the island of Goree then known as the island of Bezeguiche or Palma which by 1536 they began to use as a base for slave exportation The mainland of Cap Vert however was under control of the Jolof Empire as part of the western province of Cayor which seceded from Jolof in its own right in 1549 A new Lebou village called Ndakaaru was established directly across from Goree in the 17th century to service the European trading factory with food and drinking water Goree was captured by the United Netherlands in 1588 which gave it its present name spelled Goeree after Goeree Overflakkee in the Netherlands citation needed The island was to switch hands between the Portuguese and Dutch several more times before falling to the English under Admiral Robert Holmes on January 23 1664 and finally to the French in 1677 Though under continuous French administration since metis families descended from Dutch and French traders and African wives dominated the slave trade The infamous House of Slaves was built at Goree in 1776 In 1795 the Lebou of Cape Verde revolted against Cayor rule A new theocratic state subsequently called the Lebou Republic by the French was established under the leadership of the Diop a Muslim clerical family originally from Koki in Cayor The capital of the republic was established at Ndakaaru In 1857 the French established a military post at Ndakaaru which they called Dakar and annexed the Lebou Republic though its institutions continued to function nominally The Serigne also spelled Serin Lord of Ndakaaru is still recognized as the traditional political authority of the Lebou by the Senegalese State today citation needed The slave trade was abolished by France in February 1794 However Napoleon reinstated it in May 1802 then finally abolished it permanently in March 1815 Despite Napoleon s abolition a clandestine slave trade continued at Goree until 1848 when it was abolished throughout all French territories To replace trade in slaves the French promoted peanut cultivation on the mainland As the peanut trade boomed tiny Goree Island whose population had grown to 6 000 residents proved ineffectual as a port Traders from Goree decided to move to the mainland and a factory with warehouses was established in Rufisque in 1840 citation needed A public water well 1899 Large public expenditure for infrastructure was allocated by the colonial authorities to Dakar s development The port facilities were improved with jetties a telegraph line was established along the coast to Saint Louis and the Dakar Saint Louis railway was completed in 1885 at which point the city became an important base for the conquest of the Western Sudan Goree including Dakar was recognised as a French commune in 1872 Dakar itself was split off from Goree as a separate commune in 1887 The citizens of the city elected their own mayor and municipal council and helped send an elected representative to the National Assembly in Paris Dakar replaced Saint Louis as the capital of French West Africa in 1902 12 A second major railroad the Dakar Niger built from 1906 to 1923 linked Dakar to Bamako and consolidated the city s position at the head of France s West African empire citation needed In 1929 the commune of Goree Island now with only a few hundred inhabitants was merged into Dakar Dakar Entrepot c 1900 Urbanization during the colonial period was marked by forms of racial and social segregation often expressed in terms of health and hygiene which continue to structure the city today Following a plague epidemic in 1914 the authorities forced most of the African population out of old neighborhoods or Plateau and into a new quarter called Medina separated from it by a sanitary cordon As first occupants of the land the Lebou inhabitants of the city successfully resisted this expropriation They were supported by Blaise Diagne the first African to be elected Deputy to the National Assembly Nonetheless the Plateau thereafter became an administrative commercial and residential district increasingly reserved for Europeans and served as model for similar exclusionary administrative enclaves in French Africa s other colonial capitals Bamako Conakry Abidjan Brazzaville Meanwhile the Layene Sufi order established by Seydina Mouhammadou Limamou Laye was thriving among the Lebou in Yoff and in a new village called Camberene Since independence urbanization has sprawled eastward past Pikine a commuter suburb whose population 2001 est 1 200 000 is greater than that of Dakar proper to Rufisque creating a conurbation of almost 3 million over a quarter of the national population citation needed Harbor Dakar 1905 In its colonial heyday Dakar was one of the major cities of the French Empire comparable to Hanoi or Beirut citation needed French trading firms established branch offices there and industrial investments mills breweries refineries canneries were attracted by its port and rail facilities It was also strategically important to France which maintained an important naval base and coaling station in its harbor and which integrated it into its earliest air force and airmail circuits most notably with the legendary Mermoz airfield no longer extant Main article Battle of Dakar In 1940 Dakar became involved in the Second World War when General de Gaulle leader of the Free French Forces sought to make the city the base of his resistance operations The object was to raise the Free French flag in West Africa to occupy Dakar and thus start to consolidate the French resistance of its colonies in Africa The plan had British naval support when fighting alone against the Axis powers However due to delays and the plan becoming known Dakar had already come under the influence of the German controlled will of the Vichy government With the arrival of French naval forces under Vichy control and faced by stubborn defences onshore de Gaulle s proposals were resisted and the Battle of Dakar ensued off the coast lasting three days September 23 25 1940 between the Vichy defences and the attack of the Free French and British navy The enterprise was abandoned after appreciable naval losses Although the initiative on Dakar failed General de Gaulle was able to establish himself at Douala in the Cameroons which became the rallying point for the resistance of the Free French cause 13 14 15 Mural in Dakar commemorating the Thiaroye massacre It reads Thiaroye 44 an unforgettable event In November 1944 West African conscripts in the French army mutinied against poor conditions at the Thiaroye camp on the outskirts of the city The mutiny was seen as an indictment of the colonial system and constituted a watershed for the nationalist movement On December 1 1944 French soldiers guarding the camp opened fire on the West African soldiers Accounts of the death toll range from around 35 the official French account to over 300 army veterans active at the time Dakar was the capital of the short lived Mali Federation from 1959 to 1960 after which it became the capital of Senegal The poet philosopher and first President of Senegal Leopold Sedar Senghor tried to transform Dakar into the Sub Saharan African Athens l Athenes de l Afrique subsaharienne 16 as his vision was for it Dakar is a major financial center home to a dozen national and regional banks including the Central Bank of West African States BCEAO which manages the unified West African CFA franc currency and to numerous international organizations NGOs and international research centers Dakar has a large Lebanese community concentrated in the import export sector that dates to the 1920s a community of Moroccan business people as well as Mauritanian Cape Verdean and Guinean communities The city is home to as many as 20 000 French expatriates citation needed France still maintains an air force base at Yoff and the French fleet is serviced in Dakar s port Beginning 1978 and until 2007 Dakar was frequently the ending point of the Dakar Rally Geography Edit View of Dakar from the International Space Station in 2011 Dakar is located on the Cap Vert peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland Climate Edit The Dakarois climate is generally very warm Dakar has an ocean influenced hot semi arid climate Koppen climate classification BSh with a short rainy season and a lengthy dry season Dakar s rainy season lasts from July to October while the dry season covers the remaining eight months The city sees approximately 411 mm 16 2 in of rainfall per year Dakar between December and May is usually very warm with daily temperatures around 25 28 C 77 0 82 4 F Nights during this time of the year are warm some 18 20 C 64 4 68 0 F However between May and November the city becomes decidedly hotter with daily highs reaching 29 31 C 84 2 87 8 F and night lows a little bit above 23 25 C 73 4 77 0 F Notwithstanding this hotter season Dakar s weather is far from being so hot as experienced in inland Sahelian cities like Niamey and N Djamena where temperatures hover above 36 C 96 8 F for much of the year Dakar is cooled year round by sea breezes Climate data for Dakar International Airport Senegal 1961 1990 Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearRecord high C F 36 5 97 7 39 8 103 6 40 4 104 7 34 7 94 5 33 8 92 8 39 4 102 9 33 5 92 3 34 5 94 1 34 8 94 6 37 8 100 0 40 3 104 5 39 5 103 1 40 4 104 7 Average high C F 26 1 79 0 25 0 77 0 25 7 78 3 25 3 77 5 26 4 79 5 29 0 84 2 30 3 86 5 30 6 87 1 31 1 88 0 31 5 88 7 30 4 86 7 28 3 82 9 28 3 82 9 Daily mean C F 19 9 67 8 20 5 68 9 20 9 69 6 21 4 70 5 22 7 72 9 25 5 77 9 26 9 80 4 27 3 81 1 27 4 81 3 27 4 81 3 25 4 77 7 22 5 72 5 24 0 75 2 Average low C F 18 6 65 5 18 2 64 8 18 6 65 5 19 4 66 9 20 9 69 6 23 8 74 8 25 3 77 5 25 3 77 5 25 3 77 5 25 7 78 3 23 8 74 8 21 2 70 2 22 0 71 6 Record low C F 14 0 57 2 15 0 59 0 16 0 60 8 16 5 61 7 17 2 63 0 19 5 67 1 21 5 70 7 21 3 70 3 18 9 66 0 17 5 63 5 17 9 64 2 17 0 62 6 14 0 57 2 Average rainfall mm inches 2 0 0 08 1 0 0 04 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 39 61 0 2 40 165 0 6 50 134 0 5 28 37 0 1 46 1 0 0 04 1 0 0 04 411 16 2 Average rainy days 1 9 1 1 1 1 0 3 0 5 2 0 7 0 12 8 9 4 2 9 1 4 1 4 41 8Average relative humidity 69 75 76 79 79 78 77 79 81 79 74 66 76Mean monthly sunshine hours 244 9 245 8 285 2 288 0 291 4 252 0 232 5 223 2 219 0 257 3 249 0 238 7 3 031 6Source DWD 17 Dakar mean sea temperature 18 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year22 C 72 F 20 C 68 F 20 C 68 F 21 C 70 F 23 C 73 F 25 C 77 F 27 C 81 F 27 C 81 F 27 C 81 F 27 C 81 F 27 C 81 F 24 C 75 F 24 C 75 F Climate change Edit A 2019 paper published in PLOS One estimated that under Representative Concentration Pathway 4 5 a moderate scenario of climate change where global warming reaches 2 5 3 C 4 5 5 4 F by 2100 the climate of Dakar in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of Praia in Cape Verde The annual temperature would increase by 1 5 C 2 7 F and the temperature of the warmest and the coldest month by 1 4 C 2 5 F and 1 6 C 2 9 F respectively 19 20 According to Climate Action Tracker the current warming trajectory appears consistent with 2 7 C 4 9 F which closely matches RCP 4 5 21 Moreover according to the 2022 IPCC Sixth Assessment Report Dakar is one of 12 major African cities Abidjan Alexandria Algiers Cape Town Casablanca Dakar Dar es Salaam Durban Lagos Lome Luanda and Maputo which would be the most severely affected by future sea level rise It estimates that they would collectively sustain cumulative damages of US 65 billion under RCP 4 5 and US 86 5 billion for the high emission scenario RCP 8 5 by the year 2050 Additionally RCP 8 5 combined with the hypothetical impact from marine ice sheet instability at high levels of warming would involve up to US 137 5 billion in damages while the additional accounting for the low probability high damage events may increase aggregate risks to US 187 billion for the moderate RCP4 5 US 206 billion for RCP8 5 and US 397 billion under the high end ice sheet instability scenario 22 Since sea level rise would continue for about 10 000 years under every scenario of climate change future costs of sea level rise would only increase especially without adaptation measures 23 Administration EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Dakar news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Market street in the working class Gueule Tapee quarter Residential street in the upscale Mermoz quarter The city of Dakar is a commune also sometimes known as commune de ville one of the some 125 communes of Senegal The commune of Dakar was created by the French colonial administration on June 17 1887 by detaching it from the commune of Goree The commune of Goree created in 1872 was itself one of the oldest Western style municipalities in Africa along with the municipalities of Algeria and South Africa The commune of Dakar has been in continuous existence since 1887 being preserved by the new state of Senegal after independence in 1960 although its limits have varied considerably over time The limits of the commune of Dakar have been unchanged since 1983 The commune of Dakar is ruled by a democratically elected municipal council conseil municipal serving five years and a mayor elected by the municipal council There have been 20 mayors in Dakar since 1887 The first black mayor was Blaise Diagne mayor of Dakar from 1924 to 1934 The longest serving mayor was Mamadou Diop mayor for 18 years between 1984 and 2002 The commune of Dakar is also a department one of the 45 departments of Senegal This situation is quite similar to Paris which is both a commune and a department However contrary to French departments departments in Senegal have no political power no departmental assembly and are merely local administrative structures of the central state in charge of carrying out some administrative services as well as controlling the activities of the communes within the department The department of Dakar is divided into four arrondissements Almadies Grand Dakar Parcelles Assainies which literally means drained lots this is the most populous arrondissement of Dakar and Plateau Goree downtown Dakar 24 These arrondissements are quite different from the arrondissements of Paris being merely local administrative structures of the central state like the Senegalese departments and are thus more comparable to French departmental arrondissements The Assemblee nationale on the Plateau the heart of old Dakar In 1996 a massive reform of the administrative and political divisions of Senegal was voted by the Parliament of Senegal The commune of Dakar whose population approached 1 million inhabitants was deemed too large and too populated to be properly managed by a central municipality and thus on August 30 1996 Dakar was divided into 19 communes d arrondissement These communes d arrondissement were given extensive powers and are very much like regular communes They have more powers than the arrondissements of Paris and are more akin to the London boroughs The commune of Dakar was maintained above these 19 communes d arrondissement and it coordinates the activities of the communes d arrondissement much as Greater London coordinates the activities of the London boroughs The 19 communes d arrondissement belong to either of the four arrondissements of Dakar and the sous prefet of each arrondissement is in charge of controlling the activities of the communes d arrondissement in his arrondissement Dakar Central Station The commune d arrondissement of Dakar Plateau 34 626 inhabitants in the arrondissement of Plateau Goree is the historical heart of the city and most ministries and public administrations are located there The densest and most populous commune d arrondissement is Medina 136 697 inhabitants in the arrondissement of Plateau Goree The commune d arrondissement of Yoff 55 995 inhabitants in the arrondissement of Almadies is the largest one while the smallest one is the commune d arrondissement of Ile de Goree 1 034 inhabitants in the arrondissement of Plateau Goree Dakar is one of the 14 regions of Senegal The Dakar region encompasses the city of Dakar and all its suburbs along the Cape Verde Peninsula Its territory is thus roughly the same as the territory of the metropolitan area of Dakar Since the administrative reforms of 1996 the regions of Senegal which until then were merely local administrative structures of the central state have been turned into full fledged political units with democratically elected regional councils and regional presidents They were given extensive powers and manage economic development transportation or environmental protection issues at the regional level thus coordinating the actions of the communes below them Notable sites Edit Deux Mamelles seen from afar with the African Renaissance Monument on the left and Les Mamelles Lighthouse on the right The city of Dakar is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and contains several landmarks One of the most notable is Deux Mamelles twin hills located in Ouakam commune The hills are the only high ground in the city providing views of the entire area and sweeping views of the city The first hill is topped with Mamelles Lighthouse built in 1864 The second hill has the newly completed African Renaissance Monument built on top which is considered the tallest statue in Africa 25 Other landmarks of the city include the medina quarter located in Medina commune Medina is originally built as a township for local populace during the French colonial era Today it is a traditional commercial center packed with tailors shops The most notable street market is Soumbedioune which is also a major tourist attraction The quarter also houses Dakar Grand Mosque at the heart of the commune which is built in 1964 and one of the prominent landmarks of the city 26 27 Beach in Dakar Dakar is flanked by two small islands Ile de N Gor and Ile de Goree The former is on the northern shore of N Gor commune with beaches providing attractions such as surfing N Gor commune also has other popular beach resorts such as Plage de N Gor 28 Ile de Goree formerly a slave island is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site which preserves the colonial era architectures and facilities The notable places on the island is Goree Memorial which is a memorial for the slaves and the House of Slaves which is a museum dedicated to the Atlantic slave trade Today the island is also hosting the art scene of the hundreds of local artists who line up their works at the outdoor exhibitions 29 30 Some other notable places include Layen Mausoleum which entombs the founder of the Layene Sufi tariqa Palais Presidentiel which is the seat of the government constructed in 1907 31 Place de l Independance which is the central square of Dakar Dakar Cathedral and Cheikh Anta Diop University also known as the University of Dakar which was established in 1957 Places of worship EditAmong the places of worship there are predominantly Muslim mosques 32 There are also Christian churches and temples Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dakar Catholic Church Assemblies of God Universal Church of the Kingdom of God Dakar was selected as the Capital of Islamic Culture for African Region for the year 2007 by the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ISESCO honoring its Islamic heritage 33 ISESCO and its parent organization Organization of Islamic Cooperation OIC have held several regional and international conferences in the city 34 best known for adoption of Dakar Declaration in 1991 which aimed at fostering the cooperation between the member states 35 Dakar is also known as the birthplace of the Layene Brotherhood a Sufi tariqa founded by Seydina Mouhammadou Limamou Laye in 1883 at the commune of Yoff Seydina is buried in the Layen Mausoleum which is among the major landmarks of Dakar 36 Today Layene Brotherhood is consisted mostly of the Lebou people and based in the Cap Vert area It is also the third biggest Sufi order in Senegal Prominent worshiping sites for Muslims in Dakar include the Grand Mosque of Dakar built in 1964 which is situated at Allee Pape Gueye Fall of Medina the Mosque of the Divinity constructed in 1973 situated in Ouakam with the characteristic triangular windows and Omarienne Mosque with minarets topped by green orbs 30 37 Culture Edit N dawrabine dance of Ngor In Senegal the traditional culture is very centred around the idea of family This even includes the way that they eat When it is time to eat a typical meal someone will say kay lekk which means come eat Everyone will come together and sit around the plate and eat with their hands 38 Some famous dishes include Cebbu Jen Tieboudienne and Yassa The etiquette of people in Dakar is very simple but very vital To not greet someone upon sight is to portray rudeness and oftentimes ignorance Due to French colonialism the children of Dakar have a unique school system The school will get a break at about midday and return home to get some rest Since the population is majority Muslim there are daily activities such as going to the mosque at noon prayer and attending the mosque on Fridays Music has a big influence on the youth with famous artists like Daara J Family who use their voice to represent the problems in their communities 39 Dakar is home to multiple national and international festivals like World Festival of Black Arts Festival international du film de quartier de Dakar Dakar Biennale It was also the location of Taf Taf an international artist residency program 40 Further information Association generale des etudiants francais en Afrique noire Museums Edit IFAN Museum of African Arts IFAN Museum of African Arts or Musee Theodore Monod Henriette Bathily Women s Museum House of Slaves Village des Arts Parc Forestier et Zoologique de Hann aka the Senegal Zoo Museum of Black Civilisations 41 Dynamic MuseumSports EditSports club AS Douanes are based in Sicap Liberte they play in the Senegal Premier League and previously won the 2014 15 Ligue 1 Senegal season Dakar used to be the finishing point of the Dakar Rally until 2007 before the event was moved to South America for the security concerns in Mauritania 42 Dakar was set to host the 2022 edition of the Youth Summer Olympics however the games have been postponed to 2026 it will be the first of its kind Olympics ever held in Africa 43 Transport Edit Blaise Diagne International Airport The Train Express Regional Dakar AIBD TER The town is home to the Autonomous Port of Dakar and the terminus of the non functioning Dakar Niger railroad line The Train Express Regional Dakar AIBD TER will connect Dakar with Blaise Diagne International Airport AIBD An initial 36 km will link Dakar to Diamniadio and a second phase of 19 km would connect Dakar to the Blaise Diagne airport A total of 14 train stations will be served and the fastest end to end journey will take 45 minutes The railway is expected to carry 115 000 passengers per day The TER s first test run launched on 14 January 2019 and the first passenger train ran in December 2021 44 45 46 Blaise Diagne International Airport is the city s international airport it handles flights by several airlines including Air France Delta Emirates and Emirates Sky Cargo Iberia TAP Air Portugal and Turkish and is the hub of Senegal s flag carrier Air Senegal Notable people EditAbdoulaye Faye footballer Akon R amp B singer real name Alioune Thiam Baaba Maal singer and guitarist Babacar Khane yoga practitioner Boris Diaw basketball player Utah Jazz Bouna Coundoul footballer Achna FC Cheikh Anta Diop Historian anthropologist physicist politician Cheikh Anta Diop University Cheikh Samb basketball player former Los Angeles Clippers DeSagana Diop basketball player Charlotte Bobcats Fatou Samba member of South Korean girl group Blackswan Hamady Ndiaye basketball player Washington Wizards Ibrahim Ba former footballer Ismael Lo singer songwriter Idrissa Gueye footballer Paris Saint Germain F C Issa R amp B singer Macoumba Kandji footballer Colorado Rapids Mamadou N Diaye former basketball player for Auburn University and the Toronto Raptors Mame Biram Diouf footballer Stoke City Marc Lievremont former rugby player and former head coach of the France national rugby union team Marcel Lefebvre Founder of the SSPX Apostolic delegate to Pope Pius XII and Archbishop of Dakar Mbaye Diagne United Nations military observer and hero during the Rwandan genocide Ofeibea Quist Arcton foreign correspondent for NPR News Orchestra Baobab Ousmane Barro basketball player Marquette University Papa Bouba Diop former footballer Pape Pate Diouf football player Papiss Cisse footballer Newcastle United Patrice Evra former footballer Patrick Vieira former footballer Pelagie Gbaguidi contemporary artist Sadio Mane footballer Bayern Munich N Gone Fall cultural consultant Sheck Wes rapper songwriter model Segolene Royal French politician born in Dakar Souleyman Sane former footballer Tacko Fall basketball player Xinjiang Flying Tigers Thione Seck singer and songwriter Wasis Diop musician Youssou N Dour singer and percussionistInternational relations EditMain article List of twin towns and sister cities in Senegal Dakar is twinned with 47 Ann Arbor Michigan United States Baku Azerbaijan 48 49 Douala Cameroon Isfahan Iran Milan Italy 50 Oran Algeria Rangpur Bangladesh Rosario Argentina 51 Bissau Guinea Bissau Taipei Taiwan Washington D C United States 52 References Edit National Statistics Agency Population Projections 2013 2063 PDF Retrieved January 3 2021 climatemps com National Statistics Agency Population Projections 2013 2063 PDF Retrieved January 3 2021 National Statistics Agency Population Projections 2013 2063 PDF Retrieved January 3 2021 Dakar Cambridge Dictionary Retrieved 17 December 2022 Definition of Dakar from the Cambridge Advanced Learner s Dictionary amp Thesaurus c Cambridge University Press Dakar definition of Dakar The Free Dictionary Retrieved 29 October 2013 d e ˈ k ɑːr d ɑː ˈ k ɑːr ˈ d ae k er Define Dakar Dictionary com Retrieved 29 October 2013 Dinis Dias doubled Cap Vert in 1444 but it is unclear if he sailed into the bay itself Alvaro Fernandes anchored at the uninhabited island of Goree and lured and captured two natives off a Lebou fishing canoe before being driven off The large slaving fleet of Lancarote de Freitas anchored in the bay but their attempts to reach the mainland shore were fended off by missile fire and took no captives The subsequent fleets of Estevao Afonso 1446 and Valarte 1447 stopped briefly at Goree but were also fended off the shores and took no captives In the aftermath Prince Henry the Navigator suspended all Portuguese expeditions beyond Cap Vert for nearly a decade There are no more recorded attempts until contact was made in 1456 As reported in the 1453 chronicle of Gomes Eanes de Zurara B W Diffie and G D Winius 1977 Foundations of the Portuguese empire 1415 1580 Minneapolis University of Minnesota Press pp 83 85 A Teixeira da Mota 1946 A descoberta da Guine Boletim cultural da Guine Portuguesa Vol 1 No 2 Apr p 273 326 a b A Teixeira da Mota 1968 Ilha de Santiago e Angra de Bezeguiche escalas da carreira da India Do tempo e da historia Lisbon v 3 pp 141 49 Vespucci s letter from Bezeguiche is reproduced in F A de Varnhagen 1865 Amerigo Vespucci pp 78 82 Roman Adrian Cybriwsky Capital Cities around the World An Encyclopedia of Geography History and Culture ABC CLIO US 2013 p 93 Winston Churchill The Second World War Vol 2 Book II Chapter xxiv Dakar John Williams The Guns of Dakar September 1940 Heinemann Educational Books 1976 Martin Thomas The Anglo French divorce over West Africa and the limitations of strategic planning June December 1940 Diplomacy and Statecraft 6 1 1995 252 278 Discours de reception de M Jean Claude JUNCKER comme membre associe etranger a l Academie des Sciences morales et politiques PDF in French Archived from the original PDF on 2013 07 24 Climate Averages for Dakar International Airport PDF in German DWD Retrieved 7 September 2022 Climate Averages for Dakar International Airport Senegal PDF DWD Retrieved 7 September 2022 Bastin Jean Francois Clark Emily Elliott Thomas Hart Simon van den Hoogen Johan Hordijk Iris Ma Haozhi Majumder Sabiha Manoli Gabriele Maschler Julia Mo Lidong Routh Devin Yu Kailiang Zohner Constantin M Thomas W Crowther 10 July 2019 Understanding climate change from a global analysis of city analogues PLOS One S2 Table Summary statistics of the global analysis of city analogues doi 10 1371 journal pone 0217592 Cities of the future visualizing climate change to inspire action Current vs future cities Retrieved 8 January 2023 The CAT Thermometer Retrieved 8 January 2023 Trisos C H I O Adelekan E Totin A Ayanlade J Efitre A Gemeda K Kalaba C Lennard C Masao Y Mgaya G Ngaruiya D Olago N P Simpson and S Zakieldeen 2022 Chapter 9 Africa In Climate Change 2022 Impacts Adaptation and Vulnerability H O Portner D C Roberts M Tignor E S Poloczanska K Mintenbeck A Alegria M Craig S Langsdorf S Loschke V Moller A Okem B Rama eds Cambridge University Press Cambridge United Kingdom and New York NY US pp 2043 2121 Technical Summary In Climate Change 2021 The Physical Science Basis Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change PDF IPCC August 2021 p TS14 Retrieved 12 November 2021 Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Demographie Government of Senegal 2005 Situation economique et sociale du Senegal Edition 2005 PDF Report in French p 163 Archived from the original PDF on 2007 06 15 Retrieved 2007 03 08 Les Mamelles Dakar s Breasts Lonely Planets Retrieved May 4 2018 Medina Senegal Sights www lonelyplanet com Retrieved 2022 08 13 Grande Mosquee Senegal Sights www lonelyplanet com Retrieved 2022 08 13 Planet Lonely Attractions in Senegal Lonely Planet Retrieved 2016 11 14 Trourist Powered by Travelers For Travelers Retrieved 2022 08 13 a b The culture capital of West Africa The Jerusalem Post JPost com Retrieved 2022 08 13 Palais Presidentiel Senegal Sights www lonelyplanet com Retrieved 2022 08 13 J Gordon Melton Martin Baumann Religions of the World A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices ABC CLIO US 2010 p 2573 2575 Dakar Capital of Islamic Culture for African Region for the year 2007 ISESCO Retrieved May 4 2018 ISESCO and OIC to hold regional workshop in Dakar to examine implementation mechanisms of OIC Media Strategy in Countering Islamophobia and publicize Islam s middle stance among African countries ISESCO Retrieved May 4 2018 Dakar Declaration PDF IFRC Archived PDF from the original on 2014 03 26 Retrieved 6 February 2013 Layen Mausoleum Senegal Sights www lonelyplanet com Retrieved 2022 08 13 Religious Beliefs In Senegal WorldAtlas 2017 04 25 Retrieved 2022 08 13 Senegal Language Culture Customs and Etiquette www commisceo global com Retrieved 2016 11 14 Hip hop in Senegal 2015 02 06 Retrieved 2016 11 14 Taf taf yhteisotaiteen residenssi Senegalissa Turun taiteilijaseura Archived from the original on February 13 2012 Senegal unveils Museum of Black Civilisations BBC News December 6 2018 retrieved August 10 2019 Motorcycle competitors race away as Dakar Rally leaves Buenos Aires Clutch amp Chrome 2009 01 03 Archived from the original on January 20 2009 Retrieved 2009 01 03 Senegal officially awarded 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games at IOC Session www insidethegames biz Oct 8 2018 Retrieved Jul 26 2020 Alstom train makes first run in Dakar Railway Gazette International Retrieved Jul 26 2020 President Sall takes delivery of TER Dakar s new train service Journal du Cameroun Archived from the original on 2019 01 16 Retrieved 2019 01 16 Ba Diadie December 27 2021 Senegal s new commuter train makes first journey from capital Dakar www reuters com Retrieved December 27 2021 L Bigon 2009 A History of Urban Planning in Two West African Colonial Capitals Residential Segregation in British Lagos and French Dakar 1850 1930 Lewiston New York Edwin Mellen Press Twin cities of Azerbaijan Azerbaijans com Retrieved 2013 08 09 Monument in Dakar on which City Baku was written in Russian and City Dakar in French 2014 Citta Gemellate in Italian Comune di Milano Archived from the original on 27 October 2014 Retrieved 6 April 2012 Town Twinning Agreements Municipalidad de Rosario Buenos Aires 711 Archived from the original on 2015 03 19 Retrieved 2014 10 14 DC Sister City Agreement PDF The District of Columbia Archived from the original PDF on 6 June 2014 Retrieved 3 June 2014 Bibliography EditSee also Bibliography of the history of DakarExternal links Edit Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Dakar Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dakar Senegal portalDakar official website in French archived Dakar Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed 1911 Dakar New International Encyclopedia 1905 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dakar amp oldid 1151091277, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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