Rufisque
Rufisque is a city on the border to the capital Dakar in the west tip of Senegal, and about 25 kilometers from the center of Dakar. Its population is 179,797 ( 2002 census ). In the past, the city had a great importance as a separate port and trading center, is now regarded as Rufisque suburb of Dakar. At the city today takes you past one of the main roads, the toll road connecting Dakar Diamniadiao. Rufisque located on the northern end of the coastal district of La Petite Côte. This is also known as Costa Brava West Africa, but here in the city has no great significance for nationals entering tourists.
Rufisque is the capital of the Department Rufisque in the Dakar region. The Department is divided into three Arrondisments North, East and West.
History
Originally, the region was settled by the ethnicity of Lébou the fishing village Tenguedj ( in Wolof Tëngéej ). In the 16th century Rufisque became important as the main port in the Kingdom of Cayor. With the beginning of colonization Rufisque was an important base of the Portuguese. This called the place " Rio Fresco" ( in as fresh water river ), which underlines the importance of the mariners. Here settled Dutch, French and English traders who approach grown mongrel children soon became a Euro - African ( Creole ) or mestizo society here. There was a close exchange of similar communities in Saint Louis, Gorée, and other places along the Petite Côte.
In 1840, a department store by a group of businessmen from Saint Louis, shortly afterwards from Gorée, built right on the bank to store peanuts. The business flourished and you could expand on several occasions. When the French occupiers built a fort in 1859, Rufisque was quickly connected to the colony of French West Africa. 1862 Rufisque independent municipality in 1885 its port was connected to the railway line Dakar - Niger. 1909 Galandou Diouf ( † 1941) was chosen as a representative from Rufisque in the Parliament of the colony in Saint Louis. He was the first African in this position.
The port
In the early 20th century the neighboring technically better equipped port of Dakar grew such that the importance of the port of Rufisque dropped considerably. This will also reduced industrial activity. Of the four historical communities Rufisque is today probably the most neglected community without significant tourism and chronic lack of public investment and infrastructure.