Quick facts
Dakar overview
Dakar (orange) and the other large cities of Senegal
Dakar lies in Senegal at 14.69°N, 17.44°W, about 12 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Dakar (UTC+0); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of Senegal: the next largest cities are Touba (1,120,824), Thiès (317,763), Kaolack (298,904). Together, the three largest cities hold 21% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Thiès, about 57 km away, followed by Joal (86 km).
Senegal as a whole has a live population of 19,495,247 (+2.3% a year) and ranks #68 of 238 countries — see the Senegal population page for the full statistics and the Senegal atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Dakar
Largest cities in Senegal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Dakar?
Dakar has about 2,646,503 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Dakar the capital of Senegal?
Yes — Dakar is the national capital of Senegal.
How big is Dakar compared with the rest of Senegal?
Its 2,646,503 residents are 13.6% of the 19,495,247 people living in Senegal today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is Dakar?
In Senegal, at latitude 14.69 and longitude -17.44, 12 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Thiès (57 km), Joal (86 km), Fatick (119 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Dakar Population 2026 — Senegal. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/senegal/dakar/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/senegal/dakar/">Dakar Population 2026 — Senegal</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.