Thiès

Thiès is a large city in Senegal.

It sits near a big road. Many train lines meet in this city.

Because of the trains, many people move here to work. People also make beautiful art there. They make cloth art called tapestry. The city also helps grow food. Farmers grow rice and fruit nearby. It is a very busy place.

Thiès is a big city in Senegal. It is the third largest city in the country. In 2023, about 391,253 people lived there.

The city sits east of Dakar. It is a very busy place for travel. Many train lines meet in Thiès. It is also where many roads join together.

Long ago, the land was a wooded area. People called the Serer-Noon lived there. Today, the city is known for making things. It has a famous factory for tapestry. Tapestry is a type of cloth art. The city also helps with food. Farmers nearby grow rice, peanuts, and fruit. They also raise animals for meat.

Thiès is a place for learning, too. It has a large school called Malick Sy. Many leaders in Senegal studied there. The city also has a university. People mine phosphate in the nearby area. This is used to make fertilizer for plants. Thiès helps many parts of Senegal grow.

Thiès is a large and busy city in Senegal. It is the third largest city in the country. In 2023, the population was 391,253 people.

The city sits east of Dakar on the N2 road. It is a very important place for travel and trade. Many different railway lines meet here. These tracks go to Dakar, Bamako, and Saint-Louis.

It is the capital of the Thiès Region. The city is also a major center for industry.

Travel is a big part of how the city works. At first, it was just a simple rail stop. This stop was on the Dakar-Saint Louis line. That line opened in 1885. Later, the Dakar-Niger line was built between 1906 and 1923. This turned the city into a major rail junction.

Paved roads also meet in the town. The N3 road joins the N2 road here. This helps people reach the Cap-Vert Peninsula. Because of this, Thiès controls much of the travel in the area.

Long ago, the land was a wooded frontier. The Serer-Noon people lived on the Thiès Plateau. They spoke the Noon language. In the 17th century, the village of Dianxene was founded. It was part of the kingdom of Cayor. In 1860, the village had only 75 people.

In 1864, the French built a military post there. Later, a mission was started to protect local people. In 1904, the French made Thiès a commune. A famous leader named Léopold Sédar Senghor was even mayor here in 1956.

Today, the city is known for making many things. It is famous for a tapestry factory. This factory started in 1966. It makes cloth art designed by top artists. One famous work is called the Birds of Paradise.

The city is also a hub for food. Nearby farms grow rice, peanuts, and millet. They also grow fruit and manioc. Thiès is a center for trading meat and livestock. People also mine phosphate at Palo Dial and Taïba. This phosphate is used to make fertilizer.

Learning is also very important in Thiès. The city has a polytechnic school called the University of Thiès. There is also a large school called Malick Sy. It is one of the biggest schools in Senegal. Many famous politicians studied at this school.

There is even a French international school in the city. Thiès is growing even more today. New plans might link it to Dakar by a highway. A commuter train might also connect the two places soon.

Thiès is a major industrial city located in Senegal. It serves as the capital of the Thiès Region. As of 2023, the city has a population of 391,253 people. This makes it the third largest city in the country. The city sits east of Dakar along the N2 road.

It acts as a vital hub for the surrounding area. Many transport routes meet in this location.

The city functions as a central transportation junction. It connects several important railway lines. These tracks run to Dakar, Bamako, and Saint-Louis.

The Dakar-Saint Louis line opened in 1885. This was the first rail line in French West Africa. Later, the Dakar-Niger line was built between 1906 and 1923. This transformed the city from a simple rail stop, or "escale," into a major junction. Paved roads also converge here. The N3 road joins the N2 road in the town. This gives Thiès control over access to the Cap-Vert Peninsula.

History shows how the Thiès Plateau changed over time. Originally, it was a wooded frontier. The Serer-Noon people lived there. They are an ethnic sub-group of the Serer people. They speak the Noon language, which belongs to the Cangin language group. In the 17th century, the village of Dianxene was founded. It was part of the kingdom of Cayor. By 1860, the village had only 75 inhabitants. The French established a military post in 1864. This helped the city grow. Later, Spiritans founded a mission to protect locals from slave raids. In 1904, the French colonial administration created the commune of Thiès.

The city played a role in Senegal's political history. Rail workers were central to the labor movement. They organized strikes in 1937 and again from 1947 to 1948. These strikes helped the independence movement in French West Africa. A very important leader lived here. Léopold Sédar Senghor became the first president of independent Senegal. He was elected as the mayor of Thiès in November 1956.

Thiès has a diverse and productive economy. It is famous for its tapestry-making industry. An exclusive factory opened there in 1966. It produces art designed by Senegal's top artists. One famous piece is the Birds of Paradise tapestry.

The city is also a center for livestock trading and meat-packing. It sits near a productive agricultural area. This hinterland produces rice, peanuts, manioc, millet, and fruit. Mining also supports the region. Aluminum phosphate deposits are worked at Palo Dial and Taïba. This phosphate is used as fertilizer. It is one of Senegal's largest exports.

Education is a significant part of life in Thiès. The city is home to the University of Thiès, which is a polytechnic school.

Malick Sy high school is another major institution. It is the largest school in the city. It is also one of the largest in all of Senegal. Many Senegalese politicians were trained there. The school has produced many winners of the Senegalese General Contest. There is also the École Française Docteur René Guillet. This is a French international school.

Today, Thiès continues to grow and change. It is becoming an extension of the busy Cap-Vert Peninsula. The city is attracting new industrial investments. These include mechanical and electrical engineering. There are plans to connect Thiès to Dakar more closely. These plans include a new highway and a commuter train. Visitors can also explore local culture. The city has a museum and an artisanal and crafts village. You can even see some remains of old fortifications.