senegal

noun

1. a republic in W Africa: independent member of the French Community; formerly part of French West Africa. 76,084 sq. mi. (197,057 sq. km). Capital: Dakar.
2. a river in W Africa, flowing NW from E Mali to the Atlantic at St. Louis. About 1000 miles (1600 km) long.

noun

1. a republic in West Africa, on the Atlantic: made part of French West Africa in 1895; became fully independent in 1960; joined with The Gambia to form the Confederation of Senegambia (1982–89); mostly low-lying, with semidesert in the north and tropical forest in the southwest Official language: French. Religion: Muslim majority. Currency: franc. Capital: Dakar. Pop: 13 300 410 (2013 est). Area: 197 160 sq km (76 124 sq miles)

African nation, named for the river through it, perhaps from a local word meaning “navigable.” Republic in western Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, and Guinea and Guinea-Bissau to the south. Dakar is the capital and largest city.