Tivaouane or Tivawan (; ) is a city and urban commune located in the Thiès Region of

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

History

Tivaouane was part of the Wolof kingdom of

Cayor The Cayor Kingdom (; ) was from 1549 to 1876 the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Jolof Empire in what is now Senegal. The Cayor Kingdom was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom ...

, and was at one time its capital. It was first described to Europeans in the 15th century by Venetian explorer Luigi Cada-Mosto. In 1904, it was the fifth largest city in Sénégal after Saint-Louis, Dakar,

Rufisque Rufisque (; Wolof: Tëngeéj) is a city in the Dakar region of western Senegal, at the base of the Cap-Vert Peninsula east of Dakar, the capital. It has a population of 295,459 (2023 census).

and

Gorée (; "Gorée Island"; ) is one of the 19 (i.e. districts) of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is an island located at sea from the main harbour of Dakar (), famous as a destination for people interested in the Atlantic slave trade. Its populatio ...

. It is also one of the sacred places of the

Tijaniyya The Tijjani order () is a Sufi order of Sunni Islam named after Ahmad al-Tijani. It originated in Algeria but now more widespread in Maghreb, West Africa, particularly in Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Niger, Chad, Ghana, Nort ...

Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...

brotherhood. Each week, followers come to visit the tombs of religious leaders, especially that of El-Hadji Malick Sy. Visitors flock each year to celebrate the birth of

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

in a festival called the Maouloud (or ''Gamou'', in Wolof, a word borrowed from the Serer word ''Gamahou'' or ''Gamohou -'' meaning "to find the lost heart", which is one of the ancient Serer religious festivals). The influence of the Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal helps to explain the dramatic demographic growth of the city, which had a population of less than 7900 in 1960. In 2003, the mosque and zawia (Muslim school) of El-Hadji Malick Sy, the mosque of and the railway station were added to the list of Senegalese historic monuments. In 2022, the recently inaugurated Hospital in Tivaouane caught fire due to a short circuit. The neonatal department burned down to the ground, with 11 newborn babies dead.

Administration

Tivaouane is the capital of the Tivaouane Department in the région de Thiès.

Geography

Tivaouane is a regional transport hub, where the ''route nationale n° 2'' connecting

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...

and Saint-Louis passes near

Thiès Thiès (; ; Noon language, Noon: ''Chess'') is the third largest city in Senegal with a population of 391,253 in 2023. It lies east of Dakar on the N2 road (Senegal), N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and Saint-Louis, ...

. The nearest small towns are Yendam, Keur Massamba Daguene, Selko, Ndiagane, Keur Assane, et Sintiou Pir.

Population

Between the censuses of 1988 and 2002, Tivaouane grew from 27,117 to 38,213 inhabitants. In 2007, according to official estimates, the population has grown to 39,766, which makes it the 15th largest city in Senegal. Wolofs are the largest ethnic group in the area.

Economy

Tivaouane is in an agricultural region, at the heart of the ''bassin arachidier'' of Arachide oil (Peanut oil) production. Catering to religious gatherings and celebrations also plays a great role in the economy.

Notes

External links

Maps, weather and airports for Tivaouane

Site du CEM Ababacar Sy
(Collège d'enseignement moyen de Tivaouane) {{Authority control Populated places in Thiès region Communes of Senegal