Louga ( ar, لوجا;

Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...

: Luga) is a town in northwestern

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

. Louga is a cattle market centre, and has road and rail links with the port city of Saint-Louis to the northwest and

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...

to the southwest. The area surrounding Louga is at the northern limits of Senegal's peanut- (groundnut-) growing area and is inhabited by the

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people ( ff, Fulɓe, ; french: Peul, links=no; ha, Fulani or Hilani; pt, Fula, links=no; wo, Pël; bm, Fulaw) are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. ...

, who are generally pastoral nomads, and the

, who are sedentary farmers. Louga is located in what is called the Ndiambour, which used to be part of the

Cayor Cayor ( wo, Kajoor; ar, كاجور) was the largest and most powerful kingdom (1549–1879) that split off from the Jolof Empire in what is now Senegal. Cayor was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of Walo, west of the kingdom ...

province. In 2013, according to official figures from the (ANSD), Louga had a population of 104,000 inhabitants.

Administration

Louga is both the capital of the Louga department and of the

Louga region Louga is a city and region of Senegal. The region is located to the northwest part of the country and Louga, Louga city is in the northwest of the region - about 50 km inland from the Atlantic coast. Departments Louga region is divided into ...

. The administrative region of Louga was formed in 1976, divided into 3 departments with 11 districts and 48 communities. There are 7 municipalities. Map of the departments of the Louga region of Senegal

Map of the departments of the Louga region of Senegal

The Louga region is made up of 3 departments: * Louga * Kebemer * Linguere

Geography

The closest towns are Dagadj, Bayakh, Taoua, Laye, Mbarom and Ngueye Dili. The capital of Senegal,

, is 203 km away. The climate is dry, almost desertlike, with a long dry season called the

harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the ...

that can last 9 months or more. This season carries dust to Louga and occasionally causes

sandstorms A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transporte ...

, promoting wind erosion and water loss by evaporation.

Population

The main ethnic groups are the

, the

Fula Fula may refer to: *Fula people (or Fulani, Fulɓe) *Fula language (or Pulaar, Fulfulde, Fulani) **The Fula variety known as the Pulaar language **The Fula variety known as the Pular language **The Fula variety known as Maasina Fulfulde *Al-Fula ...

, the Toucouleur, and the Moors.

Economy

Agriculture is the main sector of Louga's economy. Fishing is practiced on the 50 km sea front in Potou.

Transport

Louga is a junction station on the Dakar-Niger Railway network.

Sports

Stade ASEC Ndiambour, better known as Stade Alboury Ndiaye, is a multi-use stadium. It is currently used mostly for football matches and serves as a home ground of ASEC Ndiambour. The stadium holds 15,000 people.

Twin Towns

Millau Millau (; oc, Milhau ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Aveyron Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in Southern France. One of two Subprefectures in France, subp ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Notable People Born in Louga

* Momar Gaye Diop, first mayor of Louga in 1956 * Mansour Bouna Ndiaye, former deputy mayor of Louga * Abdiou Diouf, former president of Senegal (1981-2000) * Abass Sall * Sam Mbaye (1924-1998), son of Mame Cheikh Mbaye, Islamologist * Djily Mbaye (1927-1991), also son of Mame Cheikh Mbaye, marabout, patron, and builder of the major infrastructures of Louga * Badou Ndiaye, guitarist, former conductor of the Etoile de Dakar * Oustaz Cheikh Tidiane Gaye (1951-2011), Islamologist, Arabic-speaking writer and lecturer * Ahmadou Sakhir Lô (1903-1988), founder of the Islamic institute of Coki founded in 1939 * Khalifa Sall, former mayor of

Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye is a Senegalese politician. In 2012, she was appointed Minister of Livestock and Animal Production in the government of Prime Minister Abdou Mbaye and from 2014 under the government of Prime Minister Mahammad Boun Abdallah ...

, mayor of Louga from 2009 to 2014 * Moustapha Diop, current mayor of Louga since 2014 * Samba Khary Cissé, current president of the regional council * Chérif Thiam, painter *

Haïdar El Ali Haidar el Ali is a Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈� ...

, Minister of Ecology and Nature Protection * Mubarack Lô, economist and politician * Modou Mbery Sylla * Pope Momar Gaye, accountant * Oustaz Ahmad Moubarack LO, founder of Manar Al Houda

References

External links

Peace Corps Senegal, Louga Page
Regional capitals in Senegal Populated places in Louga Region Communes of Senegal Senegal geography articles needing translation from French Wikipedia {{Senegal-geo-stub