Dakar

Dakar is the capital and largest city of Senegal, located on the Cape Verde Peninsula on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. The city serves as Senegal's economic, political and cultural centre, with a metropolitan population of approximately three-million people. Dakar is one of the most important ports in West Africa, handling significant maritime trade and serving as a regional hub for shipping and logistics. The city's economy is driven by services, manufacturing, port activities and a growing financial sector. Dakar hosts the headquarters of numerous regional and international organisations, including the West African Economic and Monetary Union. The city is also known for its strategic position as a gateway to West Africa, attracting foreign investment and serving as a base for multinational companies operating across the region. Infrastructure includes Blaise Diagne International Airport, which opened in 2017, and an expanding urban transport network. Dakar was founded as a French colonial settlement in the mid-nineteenth century and became the capital of French West Africa in 1902, later serving as the capital of independent Senegal from 1960.