Dakar grew up around a French Fort during the mid-19th century. Aside from U.S. occupation during World War II, the city served as the capital of what was then French West Africa from 1904 to 1959.
Peanuts are the chief cash crop.
In the southwest, Senegal envelopes the nation of Gambia along the Gambia River. Africa's semi-desert Sahel region begins in northern Senegal. A remnant of its colonial past, French remains the official language in Senegal, while Islam is the predominant religion. Multiparty democratic rule prevails amid the country's political scene. Tourists will find Dakar a study in contrasts.