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Dakar · page 2

From Wikipedia, «Dakar», revision of the 2026-09-01 dump, CC BY-SA 4.0. The trees and pragmatics of these pages, Mova's parse of that text, are CC BY-SA 4.0 too.

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Administration

The city of Dakar is a commune (also sometimes known as commune de ville), one of the 125 communes of Senegal.90 The commune of Dakar was created by the French colonial administration on 17 June 1887, by detaching it from the commune of Gorée.91 The commune of Gorée, created in 1872, was itself one of the oldest Western-style municipalities in Africa (along with the municipalities of Algeria corpus and South Africa corpus).92

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.93 The limits of the commune of Dakar have been unchanged since 1983.94 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.95 There have been 20 mayors in Dakar since 1887.96 The first black mayor was Blaise Diagne, mayor of Dakar from 1924 to 1934.97 The longest-serving mayor was Mamadou Diop, mayor for 18 years between 1984 and 2002.98

The commune of Dakar is also a department, one of the 45 departments of Senegal.99 This situation is quite similar to Paris corpus, which is both a commune and a department.100 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.101

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).[27]102 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.103

In 1996, a massive reform of the administrative and political divisions of Senegal was voted by the Parliament of Senegal.104 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.105 These communes d'arrondissement were given extensive powers and are very much like regular communes.106 They have more powers than the arrondissements of Paris and are more akin to the London boroughs.107 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.108 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.109

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.110 The densest and most populous commune d'arrondissement is Médina (136,697 inhabitants), in the arrondissement of Plateau/Gorée.111 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.112

Dakar is one of the 14 régions of Senegal.113 The Dakar région encompasses the city of Dakar and all its suburbs along the Cape Verde Peninsula.114 Its territory is thus roughly the same as the territory of the metropolitan area of Dakar.115 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.116 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.117

Notable sites

The city of Dakar is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and contains several landmarks.118 One of the most notable is Deux Mamelles, twin hills located in Ouakam commune.119 The hills are the only high ground in the city, providing views of the entire area and sweeping views of the city.120 The first hill is topped with Mamelles Lighthouse built in 1864.121 The second hill has the newly completed African Renaissance Monument built on top, which is considered the tallest statue in Africa.[28]122

Other landmarks of the city include the medina quarter located in Médina commune.123 Médina is originally built as a township for local populace during the French colonial era.124 Today, it is a traditional commercial center packed with tailors' shops.125 The most notable street market is Soumbédioune, which is also a major tourist attraction.126 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.[29][30]127

Dakar is flanked by four small islands, île de Yoff, Île de N'Gor, Îles de la Madeleine and Île de Gorée.128 Île de N'Gor is on the northern shore of N'Gor commune, with beaches providing attractions such as surfing.129 N'Gor commune also has other popular beach resorts such as Plage de N'Gor.[31]130 Île de Gorée, formerly a slave island, is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site which preserves the colonial era architectures and facilities.131 Some notable places on the island include the Gorée Memorial, which is a memorial for the slaves, and the House of Slaves, which is a museum dedicated to the Atlantic slave trade.132 Today, the island is also hosting the art scene of the hundreds of local artists who line up their works at the outdoor exhibitions.[32][33]133

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,[34] 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 1957.134

Places of worship

The most common places of worship in Dakar are Muslim mosques.[35]135 There are also Christian churches: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dakar (Catholic Church), Assemblies of God, Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.136

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.[36]137 ISESCO and its parent organization Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have held several regional and international conferences in the city,[37] best known for adoption of Dakar Declaration in 1991, which aimed at fostering cooperation between the member states.[38]138 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.139 Seydina is buried in the Layen Mausoleum, which is among the major landmarks of Dakar.[39]140 Today, Layene Brotherhood is consisted mostly of the Lebou people and based in the Cap-Vert area.141 It is also the third-biggest Sufi order in Senegal.142

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 Divinity, constructed in 1973, situated in Ouakam, with the characteristic triangular windows, and Omarienne Mosque with minarets topped by green orbs.[33][40]143

Culture

In Senegal corpus, the traditional culture is very centred around the idea of family.144 This even includes the way that they eat.145 When it is time to eat a typical meal, someone will say "kay lekk" which means 'come eat'.146 Everyone will come together and sit around the plate and eat with their hands.[41]147 Some famous dishes include Cebbu Jën (Tiéboudienne) and Yassa.148 The etiquette of people in Dakar is very simple but very vital.149 To not greet someone upon sight is to portray rudeness and oftentimes ignorance.150 Due to French colonialism, the children of Dakar have a unique school system.151 The school will get a break at about midday and return home to get some rest.152 Since the population is majority Muslim, there are numerous daily Islamic activities ongoing, such as participating in noon prayer at the nearest mosque and attending the local mosque on Fridays.153 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.[42]154

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.155 It was also the location of Taf Taf, an international artist residency program.[43]156

Further information: Association générale des étudiants français en Afrique noire

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.164

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 corpus.[45]165

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 Olympic event to ever be held in Africa.[46]166

Transport

The Conseil Exécutif des Transports Urbains Durables (CETUD) was founded in 1997 to coordinate transportation in the Dakar region.[47]167 A 2021 study by CETUD revealed that the national economy suffers an annual loss of nearly CFA francs 900 billion (approximately US$1.4 billion) as a result of poor air quality, traffic congestion, hazardous roads, and noise pollution.168 This represents nearly 6% of the country's yearly GDP.[48]169

The town is home to the Autonomous Port of Dakar and the terminus of the non-functioning Dakar-Niger railroad line.170

Three Trans-African Highways (TAHs) start from Dakar: the Cairo-Dakar Highway (TAH 1), the Dakar-Ndjamena Highway (TAH 5), and the Dakar-Lagos Highway (TAH 7).171

The Train Express Regional Dakar-AIBD (TER) will connect Dakar with Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD).172 An initial 36 km will link Dakar to Diamniadio and a second phase of 19 km would connect Dakar to the Blaise Diagne airport.173 A total of 14 train stations will be served and the fastest end-to-end journey will take 45 minutes.174 The railway is expected to carry 115,000 passengers per day.175 The TER's first test run launched on 14 January 2019 and the first passenger train ran in December 2021.[49][50][51]176

The city has a 100% electric bus rapid transit (BRT) network: Sunu BRT, which currently has two routes in operation, with two more planned.[52][53]177 The electric bus fleet consists of 144 articulated e-buses, dedicated right-of-way and 32 feeder bus routes.[53]178 The construction of the Dakar BRT was funded by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, and the Government of Senegal.[54][53]179 The bus fleet was financed, acquired, and is operated by the private sector under a 15-year concession agreement established in 2021.180 The private sector entity, Dakar Mobilité, is a partnership between Meridiam and the Fonds d'Investissement du Sénégal.[53]181 The BRT development created 1,000 direct jobs, 35-45% of which were roles for women.[55]182 The BRT system is expected to carry approximately 300,000 passengers per day and reduce travel times from 95 to 45 minutes[56][57] After the development of the system, 69% of the city's population can access the city centre in under an hour, compared with just 12% before the BRT.[58]183

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.184

Notable people

International relations

Main article: List_of_twin_towns_and_sister_cities_in_Africa § Senegal

Dakar is twinned with:[59]234

Bibliography

See also: Timeline of Dakar § Bibliography

  • Boulegue, Jean (2013). "247 Les royaumes wolof dans l'espace sénégambien (XIIIe-XVIIIe siècle)".248 Karthala Editions.249

External links

Dakar official website (archived)

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References

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2. Senegal: Administrative Division

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4. "Dakar". Cambridge Dictionary. ("Definition of Dakar from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press")

5. "Dakar – definition of Dakar". The Free Dictionary. /dəˈkɑːr,_dɑːˈkɑːr,_ˈdækər/ "Define Dakar".

6. Roger J., Banton O., Barusseau J.-P., Castaigne P., Comte J.-C., Duvail C., Nehlig P., Noël B. J., Serrano O., Travi Y., Notice explicative de la cartographie multi-couches à 1/50 000 et 1/20 000 de la zone d'activité du Cap-Vert, Ministère des Mines, de l'Industrie et des PME, Direction des Mines et de la Géologie, Dakar, 245 p., 2009d.

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 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)

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11. Vespucci's letter from Bezeguiche is reproduced in F.A. de Varnhagen (1865) Amerigo Vespucci, pp.78-82.

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26. "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". IPCC. August 2021.

27. Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie, Government of Senegal (2005). "Situation économique et sociale du Sénégal Edition 2005".

28. Les Mamelles – Dakar's Breasts. Lonely Planets. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

29. "Médina | Senegal | Sights". www.lonelyplanet.com.

30. "Grande Mosquée | Senegal | Sights". www.lonelyplanet.com.

31. Planet, Lonely. "Attractions in Senegal". Lonely Planet.

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33. "The culture capital of West Africa". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 3 April 2016.

34. "Palais Présidentiel | Senegal | Sights". www.lonelyplanet.com.

35. J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, ABC-CLIO, US, 2010, p. 2573-2575

36. Dakar: Capital of Islamic Culture for African Region for the year 2007. ISESCO. Retrieved May 4, 2018.

37. 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.

38. "Dakar Declaration". IFRC.

39. "Layen Mausoleum | Senegal | Sights". www.lonelyplanet.com.

40. "Religious Beliefs In Senegal". WorldAtlas. 2017-04-25.

41. "Senegal – Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette". www.commisceo-global.com.

42. "Hip-hop in Senegal". 2015-02-06.

43. "Taf taf – yhteisötaiteen residenssi Senegalissa". Turun taiteilijaseura.

44. "Senegal unveils Museum of Black Civilisations". BBC News. December 6, 2018.

45. "Motorcycle competitors race away as Dakar Rally leaves Buenos Aires". Clutch & Chrome. 2009-01-03.

46. "Senegal officially awarded 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games at IOC Session". www.insidethegames.biz. Oct 8, 2018.

47. "CETUD". CETUD - Conseil Exécutif des Transports Urbains durables.

48. Tam, Alphonse (2025-01-07). "Dakar, Senegal Receives the 2025 Sustainable Transport Award as the STA Program Celebrates 20 Years". Institute for Transportation and Development Policy - Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide.

49. "Alstom train makes first run in Dakar". Railway Gazette International.

50. "President Sall takes delivery of TER, Dakar's new train service - Journal du Cameroun".

51. Ba, Diadie (December 27, 2021). "Senegal's new commuter train makes first journey from capital Dakar". www.reuters.com.

52. "Sunu BRT - Le Bus Rapid Transit entre Dakar à Guédiawaye". Sunu BRT - Bus Rapid Transit Dakar.

53. Tam, Alphonse (2024-03-22). "Dakar, Senegal's Electric BRT Leads the Way for African Cities". Institute for Transportation and Development Policy - Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide.

54. "Senegal's Sall inaugurates e-bus fleet of Dakar public transport network". Africanews. 2024-01-15.

55. Tam, Alphonse (2025-01-07). "Dakar, Senegal Receives the 2025 Sustainable Transport Award as the STA Program Celebrates 20 Years". Institute for Transportation and Development Policy - Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide.

56. "The Dakar BRT System's Pioneering Journey Towards Inclusive Electrification in Africa". Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. 2024-03-11.

57. "Dakar Mobilité". www.proparco.fr.

58. Adrian, MALLINSON (2024-01-22). "100% electric buses for dakar". Group.

59. 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.

60. "Twin-cities of Azerbaijan". Azerbaijans.com.

61. "Monument in Dakar, on which "City Baku" was written in Russian and "City Dakar" in French". 2014.

62. "Città Gemellate". Comune di Milano.

63. "Town Twinning Agreements". Municipalidad de Rosario – Buenos Aires 711.

64. "DC Sister City Agreement". The District of Columbia.

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