Senegal trivia: 46 questions and answers

Dakar. Dakar, on the Cap-Vert peninsula, is the capital and largest city. Saint-Louis was the capital of French West Africa until 1902, and Touba is the holy city of the Mourides.

True. True. Pointe des Almadies, on the Cap-Vert peninsula at the edge of Dakar, is the westernmost point of mainland Africa.

The Jolof Empire. The Jolof Empire. At Danki, Amari Ngoné Fall of Cayor defeated the ruler of Jolof, and Cayor and the other Wolof kingdoms became independent.

Saint-Louis. Saint-Louis, the old colonial capital on its island in the Senegal River, lost the role to Dakar in 1902.

The Netherlands. The Netherlands. A French fleet took Gorée from the Dutch in 1677. Apart from a few periods of British occupation, it stayed French until independence.

True. True. The Mali Federation became independent on 20 June 1960, but Senegal left it two months later, and French Sudan became the Republic of Mali.

The French Chamber of Deputies. The French Chamber of Deputies. Diagne, born on Gorée, represented Senegal's Four Communes there from 1914 to 1934.

False. False. Senegal became an oil producer only in June 2024, when oil began to flow from the Sangomar field, about 100 km south of Dakar.

Rice and fish. Rice and fish: 'ceeb' means rice and 'jën' means fish in Wolof. The fish and vegetables are cooked in tomato sauce, and the rice absorbs the sauce.

True. True. 'Ceebu jën, a culinary art of Senegal' was inscribed in 2021. UNESCO says the dish began in the fishing communities of the island of Saint-Louis.

Onions. Onions. The chicken is marinated with lemon or lime juice, mustard and a great heap of sliced onions, which are then cooked down into a soft, tangy sauce.

Peanut paste. Peanut paste. Mafé is meat stewed in a peanut and tomato sauce, and peanuts are Senegal's main cash crop.

Dried hibiscus flowers. Dried hibiscus flowers, from the roselle plant. They are steeped in water and sweetened to make a deep red drink.

Three. Three. The same leaves are used for each round, and each glass is sweeter than the last. The slow ritual is a time for conversation.

Guinea pepper (djar). Guinea pepper (djar), and sometimes cloves. The drink is named after the holy city of Touba.

False. False. Ndambé is a breakfast sandwich of black-eyed beans in a spicy tomato sauce. The millet and yogurt dessert is thiakry.

Touba. Touba, founded by Amadou Bamba in 1887. Millions of pilgrims come every year for the Grand Magal.

Joal. Joal, today part of Joal-Fadiouth on the Petite Côte, where Senghor was born in 1906.

The Atlantic slave trade. The Atlantic slave trade. Historians debate how many enslaved people passed through the island, but its House of Slaves has become one of the world's best-known memorials to the victims.

A child. A child. The bronze group, about 50 m high, stands on one of the Mamelles hills and was unveiled in 2010 for the 50th anniversary of independence.

Pink. Pink. Lake Retba is known as the Pink Lake; its colour comes from tiny algae that thrive in its very salty water.

Shells. Shells. Fadiouth stands on piled-up clam and oyster shells, which cover its lanes, and a nearby shell island holds a cemetery shared by Christians and Muslims.

True. True. Almost 400 bird species have been recorded in the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, many of them after crossing the Sahara.

The Faidherbe Bridge. The Faidherbe Bridge, about 507 m long, named after a French colonial governor. The island of Saint-Louis is a World Heritage Site.

1978. 1978. Gorée was one of the very first 12 World Heritage Sites.

The Gambia. The Gambia, a long, narrow country along the Gambia River, borders only Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean.

A poet. A poet. In 1983 he became the first African elected to the Académie française.

The Lions of Teranga. The Lions of Teranga, after the Wolof word for hospitality. The Super Eagles are Nigeria, the Pharaohs Egypt and the Black Stars Ghana.

Egypt. Egypt, on penalties after a 0 to 0 draw. The tournament was called the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations but was played in Cameroon in early 2022.

True. True. In its first World Cup ever, Senegal beat France and went on to reach the quarter-finals.

Wrestling. Wrestling. Senegalese wrestling allows blows with the hands, and top wrestlers are national stars.

The Youth Olympic Games. The Youth Olympic Games. They were first planned for 2022 and moved to 2026 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

True. True. The shield has a lion on one half and a baobab tree on the other; baobabs can live for well over a thousand years.

The Paris-Dakar Rally. The Paris-Dakar Rally, which crossed the Sahara and ended near the Pink Lake. Since 2009 it has been held on other continents.

Fish. Fish. 'Ceebu jën' means rice and fish, and 'ceebu yàpp' means rice and meat.

Hospitality. Hospitality. The Senegalese are proud of their teranga, and the national football team is called the Lions of Teranga.

False. False. 'Waaw' means yes; 'no' is 'déedéet'.

Jërejëf. Jërejëf means thank you. Ñaata la? asks the price, baal ma means sorry, and wóoy! is a cry for help.

Maleekum salaam. Maleekum salaam, 'and upon you be peace'. Ba beneen yoon is goodbye, dégguma means I don't understand, and seer na lool means that's very expensive.

True. True. 'Ñaata la?' means how much is it? If the price seems high, you can say 'seer na lool!', that's very expensive.

I am here. 'I am here', which is how you say you are fine.

False. False. Greetings are very important, and skipping them is seen as rude. Say hello and ask how the person is before asking anything.

False. False. Use your right hand to shake hands, give, receive and eat; using the left hand for these is considered disrespectful.

Casamance. Casamance, south of The Gambia. The conflict has been much quieter in recent years, but travellers are advised to check the latest advice, travel by day and keep to main roads.

17. 17 is the police number, and 15 is for an ambulance.

True. True. Health services such as the CDC advise anti-malaria tablets for Senegal, and a yellow fever vaccination is also recommended.