Kaolack

Also known as Kawlax

Kaolack (; ) is a town with a population of 298,904 (2023 census) on the north bank of the Saloum River about from its mouth and the N1 road in Senegal. It is the capital of the Kaolack Region, which borders The Gambia to the south. Kaolack is an important regional market town and is Senegal's main peanut trading and processing center. As the center of the Ibrahimiyya branch of the Tijaniyyah Sufi order founded by Ibrayima Ñas, it is also a major center of Islamic education. The Leona Niassene mosque (right) in Kaolack is one of the largest and best known in Senegal.

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Place details

Locality: Kaolack
Region: Kaolack
Country: Sénégal
Population: 298,904
Timezone

Travel guide

Get around

Taxis (between 700 and 800 FCFA) are the main way to get around Kaolack or you can take a moto if you are brave enough.

See

thumbnail|Senegambian stone circles Most of Kaolack's glory is in its past as it is rumored to have had some of the best mangroves in Africa but any evidence of these has long since disappeared. Kaolack has one of the biggest covered markets in West Africa. The market has a good selection of wax fabrics as this is where smaller buyers come from around the region to purchase fabric. You can easily get 2 meters for 1500 CFA or 6 meters for 3500. Another site to be seen in the market is the "gris-gris" market where vendors sell everything from skins to shells for the local charm makers.

The stone circles at Wanar is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Buy

You can visit the Village Artisianal to find a selection of arts and crafts. As mentioned earlier, Kaolack has a great selection of Wax fabric available in the covered market. Most of the fabric sellers are located in the outer ring of shops.

Travel guide from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0)

~5 min read

Article

9 sections

Contents

History
Climate
Neighbourhoods
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Notable people
See also
References
External links

==History== Kaolack is the successor city to Kahone, historic capital of the kingdom of Saloum. Originally marked by a sacred tree on the right bank of the Saloum River facing the island of Kouyong, Kahone consisted of a number of distinct neighborhoods separated by open fields, each under the jurisdiction of a different dignitary or official. Kaolack, downriver, was one of these.