Senegal

Dakar is the capital of Senegal, located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula—the westernmost point of mainland Africa—making it a strategic Atlantic port and the country’s political and cultural hub. It served as the capital of French West Africa before Senegal’s independence in 1960, and today hosts government institutions, universities, and vibrant arts and music scenes. To avoid the distractors: Bamako is Mali’s capital, Conakry is Guinea’s capital, and Abidjan is Côte d’Ivoire’s largest city and economic center (the official capital is Yamoussoukro). Memory tip: Think “Da-car” like the famous Dakar Rally—cars racing to Senegal’s coast. When you hear Senegal, picture the sea and a dynamic port city at Africa’s western edge: Dakar.