Senegal is
the place to head in West Africa. Long sandy-white
beaches, a hip
music scene, a crumbling
colonial heritage, wildlife and incredibly
friendly people make it a superb place for those who want to explore African culture, or just kick back and get into the vibe of the real Africa.
Senegalese
music, particularly the
Mbalax, has become well known internationally over the last couple of decades thanks to artists like Youssou N’dour and Baba Maal - you’ll hear it blaring out of well-worn stereos all over urban places like
Dakar.
The country gained
independence from France in 1960. Ever since, it has been regarded as one of Africa’s
model democracies, with an established multi-party system and a tradition of civilian rule. The areas around the cities of Dakar and St Louis, colonized in the 1840s, were the earliest parts of the formal French empire in sub-Saharan Africa.
GeographySenegal is bordered by Guinea Republic and Guinea-Bissau to the south, Mali to the east and Mauritania to the north, and encloses the confederated state of The Gambia. To the west lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most land is less than 100m (330ft) above sea level, except for the Fouta Djallon foothills in the southeast and the Bambouk Mountains on the Mali border. On the coast between Dakar and St Louis is a strip of shifting dunes. South of Dakar there are shallow estuaries along the coastline, which is fringed by palm trees. In the northern part of the country, south of the Senegal Basin, lies the arid Fouta Ferlo, a hot dry Sahelian plain with little vegetation.
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