Dakar, Capital city on Cap-Vert peninsula, Senegal
Dakar is the capital on the Cap-Vert peninsula at the westernmost edge of Africa, spreading over limestone cliffs and along the Atlantic. The Corniche runs along the coast, linking sheltered harbors with residential neighborhoods, business zones, and public beaches.
French authorities built a fort in 1857, developing it into a key harbor within a few decades. The settlement became the capital of French West Africa in 1902 and remained an administrative center until Senegal gained independence in 1960.
Vendors sell fresh fish directly at the docks, while wrestlers perform traditional bouts in sandy arenas. In the streets of Medina, tailors sew colorful boubous, and mosques call for prayer five times each day.
The Train Express Regional connects the center with Blaise Diagne International Airport in about 45 minutes. Taxis and minibuses run throughout the metropolitan area, reaching markets, beaches, and residential neighborhoods.
Île de Gorée preserves buildings from the 18th century, including the House of Slaves with its narrow door facing the sea. Ferries leave several times a day from the harbor wall and reach the island in about 20 minutes.
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