Senegal (;
), officially the
Republic of Senegal ( ), is a country in
West Africa. Senegal's economical and political capital is
Dakar. It is the westernmost country in the mainland of the
Old World, or
Eurafrasia, and owes its name to the
Sénégal River, which borders it to the east and north. The name "Senegal" comes from the
Wolof "Sunuu Gaal," which means "Our Boat." Senegal covers a land area of almost and has an estimated population of about 13 million. The climate is
Sahelian, but there is a rainy season.