Interesting Facts About Senegal – Webtekno

Unfortunately, all the countries on the African continent were oppressed by colonialist states for many years. Until recently, Senegal was such a country. Senegal, which finally gained its independence learned from past experiences and established a peaceful order. Although there are many different ethnic groups in the country, a real atmosphere of peace prevails.

Senegal is located at the westernmost tip of the African continent. In terms of climate and culture Senegal, which has similar characteristics with other African countries, It also has features unlike any other region. The country, which is considered one of the safest tourism regions on the African continent, also hosts many different export products. Some details about the country will truly shock those who hear them.

Information about Senegal:

• Senegal was a French colony until recently.
• It was once the center of the slave trade.
• It hosts 7 UNESCO sites.
• There is an island where entry by car is prohibited.
• Watch out for killer hippos as you cruise the rivers of Senegal.
• There is a Barbie lake in the country.
• Football is not as popular a sport as you think.
• Senegal has one of the richest ethnic diversity.
• The country’s economy is based on fish and peanuts.

Senegal was until recently a French colony:

The first known community in the Senegal region, which has been identified as a human settlement since ancient times, They are Takruris who settled here in the 11th century. The Portuguese came to the region where Islam was accepted in the 15th century, and the French came to the region in the 17th century. The country that became a colony, St. The city of Louis was the capital of the French West African Colony for many years.

In the following years, due to the attack of the British, the country was completely destroyed in 1840. It was occupied by the French. As a result of long efforts, Senegal became fully independent in 1960. There has been no military coup in the country, which is 90 percent Muslim.

It was once the center of the slave trade:

Senegal is an important trade center because it is in the westernmost part of the African continent. Unfortunately, until recently, the trade items Europeans took from Africa were humans. Goree Island, located 3.5 kilometers off Senegal, was also the center of human trafficking, that is, slavery.

Goree Island, between the 15th and 19th centuries It was used as a kind of slave trading center. The island, which was designed to be a safe harbor for European ships, is today the most visited tourism region in the country. You can see the castles, slave quarters and houses of slave traders built at that time on the island, which is known as the ‘Gate of No Return’ because the slaves sent here never returned.

It hosts 7 UNESCO sites:

of Senegal To protect their historical and geographical beauties 7 sites in the country were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. These areas are as follows:

• Goree Island, once the center of the slave trade
• Niokolo-Koba National Reserve with endangered animals
• Saint-Louis Island, the first capital of Senegal
• Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, home to millions of birds
• The natural wonders of southeastern Senegal, known as heaven on earth
• Stone Circles of Senegambia, whose mystery is still unsolved
• Salum Delta, a land of islands

There is one island where entry by car is prohibited:

There is an island called Joal-Fadiouth off the coast of Petite Cote, Senegal. The feature of this island, which is connected to the land by a wooden bridge, is that It is composed of countless clam shells. This structure, where people have lived and fished for a hundred years, is constantly fed by the islanders by adding new shells. What holds all these shells together are the reeds and the roots of the mangrove trees. Of course, it is forbidden to enter such a sensitive island by car. Even if you want to break the ban, we don’t think the wooden bridge can carry the car.

Watch out for killer hippos as you cruise the rivers of Senegal:

It sounds interesting but it’s true. Hippos, which we know as herbivorous and peaceful creatures despite weighing tons, In the last decade, it has mauled 25 fishermen to death and injured dozens more. Since the hippos living in the Gouloumbou waters in the east of the country are under protection, it is strictly forbidden for the public to kill them, but the lives of fishermen who want to hunt in those waters are in great danger.

There is a Barbie lake in the country:

Of course, this is not the name of the lake, but the reason we named it this way is because the lake is pink in color. When you first encounter Lac Rose Lake, located an hour away from the capital, you may think it is a chemical leak, but The cause of the pink color is a bacteria called Dunaliella Salina. Living in Lac Rose Lake, which is ten times saltier than the ocean, these harmless bacteria produce a red pigment to protect themselves from sunlight. Due to the pigment produced, the color of the lake turns into a Barbie-toned pink, especially between November and June.

Football is not as popular a sport as you think:

When Senegal is mentioned, the first sport that comes to many people’s minds is football, so you may think that football is the most popular sport in the country, but you would be wrong. In fact, Senegalese people love a wrestling sport they call laamb. In 2019, more than 70 thousand people watched a match, called the ‘Fight of the Century’, where the country’s most famous wrestlers, Modou Lo and Balla Gaye, faced each other live in the stadium.

Senegal has one of the richest ethnic diversity:

Since the region has been inhabited since the early periods of humanity, The people of Senegal also consist of different groups with multiple ethnic origins. Each of the ethnic groups has a separate language and a distinct cultural history. No matter where they live in the country, each of them acts in accordance with the traditions of the ethnicity they belong to. The most populous ethnic groups in the country, which has more than 20 ethnic groups, are known as Wolof and Pulaa.

The country’s economy is based on fish and peanuts:

Senegal’s exports are based on two main products: fish and peanuts. Peanuts grow on 40 percent of the cultivated agricultural lands in the country. In some periods, more than one million tons of peanuts are produced annually. Of course, fishing is one of the important professions in the country located right on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. In particular, almost the entire coastal region consists of fishing towns. When you take a look at the shore, you can see fishing boats of all sizes and types.

Located in the westernmost part of the African continent We talked about interesting information about Senegal, some of which you may have heard for the first time. If you ever go to Senegal, remember that you should not get too close to the rivers, as you know, hippos.