{{Short description|Town in Louga Region, Senegal}} {{Expand French|topic=geo|date=July 2011|Louga}}
{{Infobox settlement <!--See Template:Infobox Settlement for additional fields that may be available--> <!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage--> <!-- Basic info ----------------> |official_name = Louga |other_name = لوجا |native_name = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English --> |nickname = |settlement_type = City and [[List of cities in Senegal|commune]]<!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)--> |total_type = City and [[List of cities in Senegal|commune]] |motto = <!-- images and maps -----------> |image_skyline = File:LougaHospital.jpg |imagesize = 300px |image_caption = Amadou Sakhir Mbaye hospital |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = <!-- SN-Bakel.png --> |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map = Senegal <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map --> |pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> |pushpin_map_caption = |pushpin_mapsize = <!-- Location ------------------> |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{SEN}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Senegal|Region]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Louga Region|Louga]] |subdivision_type2 = [[Departments of Senegal|Department]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Louga Department|Louga]] <!-- Politics -----------------> |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager --> |leader_name1 = |established_title = <!-- Settled --> |established_date = <!-- Area ---------------------> |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = metric |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = 21.5 |area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion--> |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = <!-- Population -----------------------> |population_as_of = 2023 census |population_footnotes = <ref>[https://www.citypopulation.de/en/senegal/mun/admin/louga/SN08035100__louga/ Citypopulation.de] Population and area of Louga Commune</ref> |population_note = |population_total = 113365 |population_density_km2 = auto |population_density_sq_mi = <!-- General information ---------------> |timezone = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]] |utc_offset = +0 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{Coord|15|37|22|N|16|13|27|W|region:SN_type:city|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags--> |elevation_m = |elevation_ft = <!-- Area/postal codes & others --------> |postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... --> |postal_code = |area_code = |website = |footnotes = }}
'''Louga''' ({{langx|ar|لوجا}}; [[Wolof language|Wolof]]: Luga) is a city in northwestern [[Senegal]]. Louga is a cattle market centre, and has road and rail links with the port city of [[Saint-Louis, Senegal|Saint-Louis]] to the northwest and [[Dakar]] to the southwest. The area surrounding Louga is at the northern limits of Senegal's peanut- (groundnut-) growing area and is inhabited by the [[Fulani]], who are generally pastoral nomads, and the [[Wolof people|Wolof]], who are sedentary farmers. Louga is located in what is called the Ndiambour, which used to be part of the [[Cayor]] province.
In 2023, according to official figures from the {{ill|National Agency for Statistics and Demography (Senegal)|lt=National Agency for Statistics and Demography|fr|Agence nationale de la statistique et de la démographie}} (ANSD), Louga had a population of 113,365 inhabitants.
== Administration == Louga is both the capital of the [[Louga Department|Louga department]] and of the [[Louga Region|Louga region]].
The administrative region of Louga was formed in 1976, divided into 3 departments with 11 districts and 48 communities. There are 7 municipalities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Louga|url=https://senegal2019.org/gouvernance-locale/louga/|access-date=2020-07-16|website=Sénégal2019|date=16 January 2019 |language=fr-FR}}</ref> [[File:Map of the departments of the Louga region of Senegal.png|alt=A map showcasing the3 departments of the Louga region: Louga, Kebemer, and Linguere.|thumb|The 3 departments of the Louga region]]
The Louga region is made up of 3 departments:
* Louga * Kebemer * Linguere
== Geography == The closest towns are Dagadj, Bayakh, Taoua, Laye, Mbarom and Ngueye Dili. The capital of Senegal, [[Dakar]], is 203 km away. The climate is dry, almost desertlike, with a long dry season called the [[harmattan]] that can last 9 months or more. This season carries dust to Louga and occasionally causes [[dust storm|sandstorms]], promoting wind erosion and water loss by evaporation.
=== Population === The main ethnic groups are the [[Wolof people|Wolof]], the [[Fula people|Fula]], the [[Toucouleur people|Toucouleur]], and the Moors.
=== Economy === [[File:LougaBoulangerie.jpg|none|thumb|A bread shop in Louga]] Agriculture is the main sector of Louga's economy. Fishing is practiced on the 50 km sea front in Potou.
== Climate == Louga, with year-round hot weather, has a [[hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''BWh''). Louga has a mildly rainy wet season from July to October, while the period from November to May has very little precipitation. {{Weather box | width = auto | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = Louga (1991–2020) | Jan high C = 32.5 | Feb high C = 34.2 | Mar high C = 36.3 | Apr high C = 37.1 | May high C = 36.9 | Jun high C = 35.6 | Jul high C = 34.2 | Aug high C = 33.7 | Sep high C = 34.2 | Oct high C = 37.0 | Nov high C = 36.5 | Dec high C = 33.5 | year high C = 35.1
| Jan low C = 17.1 | Feb low C = 18.0 | Mar low C = 18.8 | Apr low C = 19.1 | May low C = 20.3 | Jun low C = 22.7 | Jul low C = 24.4 | Aug low C = 24.7 | Sep low C = 24.5 | Oct low C = 23.9 | Nov low C = 21.0 | Dec low C = 18.4 | year low C = 21.1
| precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 0.0 | Feb precipitation mm = 0.8 | Mar precipitation mm = 0.5 | Apr precipitation mm = 0.0 | May precipitation mm = 0.1 | Jun precipitation mm = 10.5 | Jul precipitation mm = 52.7 | Aug precipitation mm = 133.3 | Sep precipitation mm = 96.7 | Oct precipitation mm = 27.2 | Nov precipitation mm = 1.1 | Dec precipitation mm = 0.3 | year precipitation mm = 323.2
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days = 0.0 | Feb precipitation days = 0.2 | Mar precipitation days = 0.0 | Apr precipitation days = 0.0 | May precipitation days = 0.1 | Jun precipitation days = 0.9 | Jul precipitation days = 4.0 | Aug precipitation days = 8.4 | Sep precipitation days = 7.7 | Oct precipitation days = 2.2 | Nov precipitation days = 0.1 | Dec precipitation days = 0.0 | year precipitation days = 23.6
| source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Senegal/CSV/Louga_380051.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Louga |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 10, 2024}}</ref> }}
== Transport == [[File:La gare aujourd'hui habitation à LOUGA.jpg|thumb|Former Louga train station (2017).]] Louga is a junction station on the [[Dakar-Niger Railway]] network.
==Sports== [[Stade Alboury Ndiaye]], is a multi-use [[stadium]]. It is currently used mostly for [[association football|football]] matches and serves as a home ground of [[ASAC Ndiambour]]. The stadium holds 3,000 people.
== Twin Towns == *[[Millau]], [[France]]
== Notable People Born in Louga ==
* Momar Gaye Diop, first mayor of Louga in 1956 * Mansour Bouna Ndiaye, former deputy mayor of Louga * [[Abdou Diouf]], former president of Senegal (1981-2000) * Abass Sall * Sam Mbaye (1924-1998), son of Mame Cheikh Mbaye, Islamologist * Djily Mbaye (1927-1991), also son of Mame Cheikh Mbaye, marabout, patron, and builder of the major infrastructures of Louga * Badou Ndiaye, guitarist, former conductor of the [[Étoile de Dakar|Etoile de Dakar]] * Oustaz Cheikh Tidiane Gaye (1951-2011), Islamologist, Arabic-speaking writer and lecturer * Ahmadou Sakhir Lô (1903-1988), founder of the Islamic institute of Coki founded in 1939 * Khalifa Sall, former mayor of [[Dakar]] * [[Aminata Mbengue Ndiaye]], mayor of Louga from 2009 to 2014 * Moustapha Diop, current mayor of Louga since 2014 * Samba Khary Cissé, current president of the regional council * Chérif Thiam, painter * [[Haïdar el Ali|Haïdar El Ali]], Minister of Ecology and Nature Protection * Mubarack Lô, economist and politician * Modou Mbery Sylla * Pope Momar Gaye, accountant * Oustaz Ahmad Moubarack LO, founder of Manar Al Houda
== See also == * [[Railway stations in Senegal]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110519124139/http://pcsenegal.org/index.php?page=regions%2Flouga%2Findex.html Peace Corps Senegal, Louga Page]
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[[Category:Regional capitals in Senegal]] [[Category:Populated places in Louga region]] [[Category:Communes of Senegal]] [[Category:Senegal geography articles needing translation from French Wikipedia]]
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