Dakar
Dakar is the capital city of Senegal. It is on the country's Atlantic coast on the western edge of Africa. The city is a trade seaport for items leaving Africa. Dakar has a population of 1,030,594 people. The metropolitan area has about 2.45 million people living in it.
Official seal of Seal | |
| City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes d'arrondissement City of Dakar, divided into 19 communes d'arrondissement | |
| Coordinates: 14°41′34″N 17°26′48″W / 14.69278°N 17.44667°WCoordinates: 14°41′34″N 17°26′48″W / 14.69278°N 17.44667°W | |
| Country | |
| Région | Dakar |
| Département | Dakar |
| Settled | 15th century |
| Communes d'arrondissement | 19
|
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Khalifa Sall (2009)[1] (BSS/PS) |
| Area | |
| • City | 83 km2 (32 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 22 m (72 ft) |
| Population (2013 estimate)[3] | |
| • City | 1,146,053 |
| • Density | 12,510/km2 (32,400/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,452,656 |
| • Metro density | 4,484/km2 (11,610/sq mi) |
| Data here are for the administrative Dakar région, which matches almost exactly the limits of the metropolitan area | |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| Website | villededakar.org |
| The 10 Worst Cities in the World | |
The National Assembly of Senegal and Senegal Presidential Palace are in Dakar.
History
The area that is now Dakar was first settled around the 15th century. In 1444, Portuguese created a colony there. By 1536, the colony was being used to as part of the slave trade. Between 1588 and 1677, the area was fought over by many countries. During this time it was under the control of the Portuguese, Dutch, English, and finally the French.
In 1857, the French built a military base here. This base was called Dakar. It was made the capital of French West Africa in 1902. Dakar was one of the major cities of the French Empire during this time. It was very important in terms of trade, military, and communications to the empire until World War II.
The city was the capital of the Mali Federation from 1959 to 1960. It then became the capital of Senegal.
Education
Dakar Media
- 061 Dakar. - Une fontaine publique.jpg
- Dakar.Unefontainepublique
- 057 Dakar. - Les entrepôts.jpg
Dakar Entrepôt. c. 1900
- Harbor, Dakar, Sénégal (West Africa), c. 1905 (7792576026).jpg
From a 1905 Postcard.
- Thiaroye Mural DSCN1029.jpg
Mural in Dakar commemorating the Thiaroye massacre. It reads "Thiaroye '44, an unforgettable event".
- Dakar, Senegal.JPG
View of Dakar from the International Space Station in 2011
- Dakar - Assemblée nationale.JPG
The Assemblée nationale on the Plateau, the heart of old Dakar
- DKR Railway station.JPG
The Dakar Railway station
- Dakars Mamelles (5824544243).jpg
Deux Mamelles seen from afar, with the African Renaissance Monument on the left and Les Mamelles Lighthouse on the right
- Spiaggia Dakar.JPG
Dakar spiaggia;ragazzi che praticano sport.
- "Ndaw rabine" dans traditionnelle lebou.jpg
N'dawrabine dance of Ngor
References
- ↑ L'opposant Khalifa Sall élu maire de Dakar. AFP. 2009-04-19
- ↑ climatemps.com
- ↑ UN Data. Projection based on 2002 census.
Other websites
- (in French) dakarville.sn Archived 2007-10-28 at the Wayback Machine - City of Dakar official website.
- African Photos Archived 2016-03-14 at the Wayback Machine Photos from Dakar