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.

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

- Kedge Business School

## Other websites

- dakarville.sn  - City of Dakar official website.
- African Photos  Photos from Dakar

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Dakar
- **image caption**: **Clockwise from top:**
 Place de l'Indépendance, Mosque of the Divinity, Ngor, Dakar, Ngor beach, Soumbedioune boats of Médina, Dakar, Médina, Gorée, Gorée memorial
- **image seal**: Dakar CoA.png
- **image map**: Dakar districts.svg
- **map caption**: City of Dakar, divided into 19 _communes d'arrondissement_
- **pushpin map**: Senegal
- **pushpin map caption**: Location within Senegal
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision type1**: Regions of Senegal, Région
- **subdivision type2**: Departments of Senegal, Département
- **subdivision name1**: Dakar Region, Dakar
- **subdivision name2**: Dakar Department, Dakar
- **established title**: Settled
- **established date**: 15th century
- **parts type**: Communes d'arrondissement
- **parts**: 19
- **p1**: Cambérène
- **leader party**: United to Boost Senegal, BSS/PS
- **leader title**: List of mayors of Dakar, Mayor
- **leader name**: Khalifa Sall (2009)
- **area total km2**: 83
- **elevation m**: 22
- **population total**: 1146053
- **population as of**: 2013 estimate
- **population density km2**: 12510
- **population metro**: 2452656
- **population density metro km2**: 4484
- **population note**: Data here are for the administrative Dakar _région_, which matches almost exactly the limits of the metropolitan area
- **postal code type**: 12500
- **website**: [http://www.villededakar.org/ villededakar.org]
- **footnotes**: [http://www.businessinsider.com/worst-cities-in-the-world-2011-2?op=1 The 10 Worst Cities in the World]
- **p2**: Parcelles Assaines
- **p3**: Pattie d'Oies
- **p4**: Hann Bel-Air
- **p5**: Dieuppeul Derklé
- **p6**: HLM
- **p7**: Biscuiterie
- **p8**: Grand Dakar
- **p9**: Plateau
- **p10**: Médina
- **p11**: Fass-Gueule Tapée-Colobane
- **p12**: Fann Point-E
- **p13**: Mermoz-Sacré-Coeur
- **p14**: Ouakam
- **p15**: Yoff
- **p16**: Ngor
- **p17**: Liberté
- **p18**: Grand-Yoff
- **p19**: Cape Verde Peninsula
- **timezone**: Greenwich Mean Time, GMT
- **utc offset**: +0