Transafrica 2018 STOP 19
May 27, 2018
Banjul – Dakar
Flight distance: 142 nm
Hours in the air: 0.36
French Riviera African Style
We got up to a cool morning in Banjul, just barely 20 degrees, apparently less than in Switzerland and a clear sign that we are heading North. Saying goody was not easy but the quick flight to Dakar sure was.
Already from the air you can see the different development stage this countries has, hardly any buildings under construction, clean and paved roads and even highways can be spotted.
Once on the ground we took advantage of the lazy Sunday afternoon vibe, took it easy and enjoyed a tour in a city without almost any traffic. The guards at the presidential palace even having time to chat with us. The “Corniche” along the shore line is nice and this place could also be somewhere in Southern France. This can also be said for the meal we enjoyed in the evening, a clear sign of culinary civilization. Since we are headed for the Sahara tomorrow we thought we might enjoy a decent meal for a while, who knows!
Facts & figures
A country on the coast of West Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean in west. It is bordered by Mauritania along the Senegal River in north, by Mali in east, by Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in south, and it encloses The Gambia, a narrow nation along both banks of the Gambia River. Senegal shares also maritime borders with the island country of Cape Verde in west.
Senegal lies within three climate zones, with a hot desert zone in north, a semi arid zone in center and a tropical savanna area in south. The country occupies an area of 196,722 km², this is about 1.5 times the size of Greece or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of South Dakota. The country has a population of about 14.8 million people (in 2016); capital and largest city is Dakar. Spoken languages are French (official), Wolof, and other West African languages.
The territory of modern Senegal has been inhabited by various ethnic groups since prehistory. Organized kingdoms emerged around the seventh century, and parts of the country were ruled by prominent regional empires such as the Jolof Empire.
The present state of Senegal has its roots in European colonialism, which began during the mid-15th century, when various European powers began competing for trade in the area. The establishment of coastal trading posts gradually led to control of the mainland, culminating in French rule of the area by the 19th century, albeit amid much local resistance. Senegal peacefully attained independence from France in 1960, and has since been among the more politically stable countries in Africa.
Source: wikipedia.org / nationsonline.org
