This is a list of cities in Senegal organised by population. It includes all cities with an estimated population of over 10,000 people.
This is a list of cities in Senegal organised by population. It includes all cities with an estimated population of over 10,000 people.
| Cities in Senegal | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | City | Population | Region | ||
| 1988 Census | 2002 Census | 2005 estimate | |||
| 1 | Dakar | 1,375,070 | 1,983,093 | 1,998,635 | Dakar |
| 2 | Touba | 123,751 | 419,300 | 428,059 | Diourbel |
| 3 | Thiès | 175,465 | 237,849 | 240,152 | Thiès |
| 4 | Rufisque | 142,340 | 179,797 | 187,203 | Dakar |
| 5 | Kaolack | 150,961 | 172,305 | 173,782 | Kaolack |
| 6 | M'Bour | 76,751 | 153,503 | 170,699 | Thiès |
| 7 | Ziguinchor | 124,283 | 153,269 | 162,436 | Ziguinchor |
| 8 | Saint-Louis | 113,917 | 154,555 | 130,750 | Saint-Louis |
| 9 | Diourbel | 76,548 | 95,984 | 93,767 | Diourbel |
| 10 | Louga | 52,057 | 73,662 | 77,784 | Louga |
| 11 | Tambacounda | 41,885 | 67,543 | 75,245 | Tambacounda |
| 12 | Richard Toll | 29,611 | 42,621 | 60,531 | Saint-Louis |
| 13 | Kolda | 34,337 | 53,921 | 58,362 | Kolda |
| 14 | Mbacké | 38,847 | 51,124 | 56,823 | Diourbel |
| 15 | Tivaouane | 27,117 | 38,213 | 39,026 | Thiès |
| 16 | Joal-Fadiouth | 19,003 | 32,991 | 36,418 | Thiès |
| 17 | Kaffrine | 16,957 | 25,768 | 31,298 | Kaolack |
| 18 | Dahra | N/A | 26,486 | 29,495 | Louga |
| 19 | Bignona | 22,237 | 25,477 | 26,707 | Ziguinchor |
| 20 | Fatick | 18,416 | 23,149 | 26,117 | Fatick |
| 21 | Dagana | 15,638 | 18,205 | 25,604 | Saint-Louis |
| 22 | Bambey | 16,974 | 21,250 | 24,319 | Diourbel |
| 23 | Vélingara | 14,068 | 20,806 | 23,834 | Kolda |
| 24 | Sédhiou | 13,212 | 18,465 | 20,200 | Kolda |
| 25 | Sébikhotane | N/A | 18,582 | 19,429 | Dakar |
| 26 | Kédougou | 11,216 | 16,672 | 18,483 | Kédougou |
| 27 | Nguékhokh | N/A | 16,911 | 18,384 | Thiès |
| 28 | Kayar | N/A | 16,257 | 17,193 | Thiès |
| 29 | Pout | 10,763 | 16,785 | 17,072 | Thiès |
| 30 | Mékhé | 12,109 | 15,291 | 15,527 | Thiès |
| 31 | Matam | 10,722 | 14,620 | 15,306 | Matam |
| 32 | Ouro Sogui | N/A | 13,177 | 15,200 | Matam |
| 33 | Nioro du Rip | 11,841 | 13,976 | 15,039 | Kaolack |
| 34 | Kébémer | 8,120 | 14,438 | 14,747 | Louga |
| 35 | Koungheul | 10,256 | 14,029 | 13,435 | Kaolack |
| 36 | Guinguinéo | 12,887 | 12,973 | 12,784 | Fatick |
| 37 | Bakel | 7,959 | 10,653 | 12,758 | Tambacounda |
| 38 | Mboro | N/A | 11,809 | 12,647 | Thiès |
| 39 | Linguère | 9,824 | 11,667 | 12,607 | Louga |
| 40 | Sokone | 8,552 | 11,124 | 12,472 | Fatick |
| 41 | Goudomp | N/A | 11,013 | 12,342 | Kolda |
| 42 | Thiadiaye | 64 | 10,262 | 12,010 | Thiès |
| 43 | Ndioum | N/A | 12,407 | 11,964 | Saint-Louis |
| 44 | Diamniadio | N/A | 10,898 | 11,393 | Dakar |
| 45 | Khombole | 9,437 | 11,574 | 11,624 | Thiès |
| 46 | Gossas | 9,289 | 10,548 | 10,468 | Fatick |
| 47 | Kanel | N/A | 8,997 | 10,165 | Matam |
Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Senegal is bordered by Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal nearly surrounds The Gambia, a country occupying a narrow sliver of land along the banks of the Gambia River, which separates Senegal's southern region of Casamance from the rest of the country. Senegal also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde. Senegal's economic and political capital is Dakar.
Senegal is a coastal West African nation located 14 degrees north of the equator and 14 degrees west of the Prime Meridian. The country's total area is 196,190 km2 of which 192,000 km2 is land and 4,190 km2 is water.
Dakar is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 million in 2023.
Casamance is the area of Senegal south of the Gambia, including the Casamance River. It consists of the Lower Casamance and the Upper Casamance. The largest city of Casamance is Ziguinchor.
Dakar Region is the smallest and most populated Region of Senegal, encompassing the capital city of the country, Dakar, and all its suburbs along the Cap–Vert Peninsula, Africa's most westerly point.
Saint-Louis or Saint Louis, is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and 320 kilometres (200 mi) north of Senegal's capital city Dakar. It had a population of 254,171 in 2023. Saint-Louis was the capital of the French colony of Senegal from 1673 until 1902 and French West Africa from 1895 until 1902, when the capital was moved to Dakar. From 1920 to 1957, it also served as the capital of the neighboring colony of Mauritania.
Senegal is subdivided into 14 regions, each of which is administered by a Conseil Régional elected by population weight at the arrondissement level. Senegal is further subdivided into 45 departments, 103 arrondissements and by collectivités locales which elect administrative officers. Three of these regions were created on 10 September 2008, when Kaffrine Region was split from Kaolack, Kédougou region was split from Tambacounda, and Sédhiou region was split from Kolda.
Kayes is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River with a population of 127,368 at the 2009 census. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninke word "karré", which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season. The city is located 420 kilometres (260 mi) northwest of the capital Bamako.
Tambacounda is the largest city in eastern Senegal, 400 kilometres (250 mi) southeast of Dakar, and is the regional capital of the province of the same name. Its population in 2023 was 149,071.
Thiès is the third largest city in Senegal with a population of 391,253 in 2023. It lies 72 km (45 mi) east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St-Louis. It is the capital of Thiès Region and is a major industrial city.
The Diourbel Region is a region of Senegal with 2,080,811 inhabitants (2023). The regional capital is the city of Diourbel, and the largest city is Touba. The region corresponds roughly to the precolonial Kingdom of Bawol and is still called by that name. Bawol is an ancient kingdom formerly ruled by the Joof family, one of the members of the Serer ethnic group found in Senegambia. Inhabitants of the area are called Bawol-Bawol which takes its name from the Serer mode of pluralisation, other examples being : Sine-Sine or Siin-Siin, Saloum-Saloum, etc. The population is primarily comprised by the Serer people especially those from the Cangin group, the Safene in particular. The Serers are believed to be the original inhabitants of this area. The Wolof and other ethnic groups are also present. The Diourbel Region is rich in history and it is where the Cekeen Tumulus are located. Scholars such as Charles Becker, Henry Gravrand, and Victor Martin suggest that these monuments were built by the Serer people and form part of the Serer tumulus of Baol. They are some of the most sacred sites in Serer religion. The Département of Mbacke also includes Murid Islamic Sufi order's holy city of Touba. The installation of this order in Serer country is a controversial one, especially among those Serers who adhere to the tenets of Serer religion (see Serer history. However, some Serers are also Muslims and have headed this religious order.
Senegal is subdivided into four levels of administrative divisions.
Tivaouane or Tivawan is a city and urban commune located in the Thiès Region of Senegal.
The cuisine of Senegal is a West African cuisine that derives from the nation's many ethnic groups, the largest being the Wolof and is French influenced. Islam, which first embraced the region in the 11th century, also plays a role in the cuisine. Senegal was a colony of France until 1960. From the time of its colonization, emigrants have brought Senegalese cuisine to many other regions.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Senegal:
There are various ethnic groups in Senegal. According to "CIA World Factbook: Senegal", the ethnic groups are Wolof (39%); Fula (27.5%)); Serer group ; Mandinka (4.9%); Jola (4.2%); Soninke (2.4%); other 5.4%, and other minor ethnic groups like the Bassari, Maures or (Naarkajors)). Many subgroups of those can be further distinguished, based on religion, location and language. According to one 2005 estimate, there are at least twenty distinguishable groups of largely varying size.
Fatick is a town and urban commune in Senegal, located between M'bour and Kaolack and inhabited by the Serer people. Its 2023 population was at 39,361. It is the capital of the Fatick Region and the Fatick Department.
Religion and beliefs occupy an important place in the daily life of the nation of Senegal. The majority of citizens follow Islam. In 2013, 6% of the population followed indigenous beliefs, while 2% followed Christianity.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Dakar, Senegal.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Saint-Louis, Senegal.
