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Historically, Senegalís
importance derives from its utilization as the last port of call for slaves
shipped to the New World in the 16th Century during the Transatlantic
Slave Trade. Invariably, slaves shipped from the West African region saw
Goree Island as their last link to Africa. But Senegal is historically
significant for another reason. During the 1850ís and 1860ís,
Franceís conquest of the Wolof and Serer states commenced its formal
development of a French colonial empire in Africa. Senegal served as a
base for French colonial expansion in the region during the 1890ís
and after 1902, Dakar became the administrative capital of a sizeable
region, which stretched all the way to central Africa. This reinforced
the importance of Senegal to Colonial Francophone Africa and even today
, Senegal continues to play an important role in French speaking Africa
due to its relative stability and democratic governance.
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