Dakar

Why it's the capital

The French set up a military post here in 1857, and the port grew quickly. In 1902 Dakar replaced Saint-Louis as the capital of French West Africa, and after briefly being the capital of the Mali Federation, it became the capital of independent Senegal in 1960.

Fun facts

1. Gorée Island, just off the coast, was used as a base for the Atlantic slave trade and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
2. Twin hills called the Deux Mamelles are the only high ground in the city: one has a lighthouse built in 1864, the other the African Renaissance Monument.
3. From 1978 until 2007, Dakar was often the finishing point of the Dakar Rally, the long-distance race named after the city.