Foundiougne is a city of the west of the Senegal, located in the Sine-Saloum.
History
The city itself was founded in
1917. It is one of the oldest communes of Senegal. Thanks to its strategic position on the
Saloum, its commercial port played a leading role at the colonial era.
It is in Foundiougne that began on February 1st
2005 the negotiations concerning the modes of enforcement of the agreement signed on December 30th
2004 between the Senegalese Government and the Mouvement of the democratic forces of Casamance. One second meeting - Foundiougne 2 - was considered, but its date was several times deferred.
Administration
The city is the chief town and one of the three communes of the Département of Foundiougne in the Région of Fatick.
Geography
Foundiougne is located at approximately 125 km of
Dakar by N1, the road in the south of
Fatick and
Kaolack. From the exit of the city, one borrows on a short section Transgambienne (NR 4) then N5 which leads to Passy where the road is in very bad condition. From there, a road which will be transformed into track crosses
Djilor to finish in the old colonial city which gave its name to the department. Another option, faster, is to take the road R 61 now battered on its major part at the beginning of Fatick, then the vat to cross Saloum with the landing stage of Dakhonga (5 rotations per day).
The closest localities are Bolonas, Sarhor, Niamnioro, Fayako, Mbam, Tiare and Sap.
Geological physics
The principal plant species which one finds on the commune are the Baobab, the Fromager, the Rônier, the cailcédrat, the dimb (
Cordyla pinata ), the Ditakh, of varieties of
Acacia and some
Mangrove S.
Population
At the time of the censuses of
1988 and
2002, the city respectively counted 3.354 and 4.935 inhabitants. One then counted 528 concessions and 656 households.
Official projections result in envisaging 5.610 inhabitants in
2007 and 6.710 in
2015.
The population is made up of Sérères (50%), of Wolofs (30%), of Peuls (15%), of Bambaras and others (5%).
It is Moslem to 92%.
Economy
The principal activities of Foundiougne are based on agriculture in the south in the surrounding villages and fishing in the north of the city, in particular fishing with shrimp.
Tourism could have been one of the key factors of the economy but, fault of good roads which would connect it to the big cities like Kaolack and Dakar, it is completely wedged. But that does not prevent it from remaining a paradisiac corner.
A factory of dehusking and an production unit of ice developed there.
Culture
A festival is annually held in July over two days.
Tourist activities
Saloum, like much of estuaries, is very full of fish, which explains the presence of many campings of fishing along the banks of the city. If not, it is possible to rent a Pirog and to be trotted on the arm of the river.
From July to October fishing with shrimp beats full sound and the night, with low tide, the fishermen draw their nets, mottling the night of their small lamp.
See too
Internal bonds