Dakar lies 850 miles to the south of the Canary Islands, and is the ‘Gateway to West Africa’ on a major crossroads of sea lanes from Europe to South Africa and South America and from North America to South Africa. Dakar is the capital of Senegal and has a very French character, French as the national language, and the West African franc as the currency. Most of the native population are negroes, 94% of whom are Muslims, of which the largest group is the Wolof. The others are the Fulani or Peul, who are herdsmen, the Serer and the Toucouleur. Three quarters of the population of Senegal live by agriculture growing cassava, cotton, cowpeas, peanuts, groundnuts, maize, rice, sweet potatoes and millet. The large fishing port within the commercial port of Dakar provides a useful source of protein and preserved fish is exported. Dakar is a deep water port with ten kilometres of quays and receives all types of general cargo ship, bulk carrier, container ship, tanker and ro-ro vessels.