Dakar (14°40’ North, 17°25’ West), the capital city of Senegal, and its suburbs are located in the Cap-Vert peninsula at the westernmost point of Africa. The estimated population was 1,030,594 inhabitants in 2005, amounting to about 20% of the country’s population. The population density is 12,233 inhabitants per km². The altitude peaks at 104 m above sea level (Mamelles). The Cap-Vert peninsula has a mild sahelian climate. The hot and wet season lasts from June to November, with average temperatures between 24 and 30°C. The cool and dry season lasts from December to May, with average temperatures between 19 and 25°C. The first rains generally occur at the end of June or the beginning of July, and the last ones at the beginning of October. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, the annual rainfall was respectively 178 mm, 510 mm and 565 mm (data from the national weather agency).
Between 2007 and 2010, an extensive field study was conducted in 45 different areas of downtown Dakar and its nearby suburbs (see PALUSAT project).