Jolof

Jolof is a term used in reference to the Wolof people and language of West Africa, as well as to a historical state known as the Jolof Empire that existed in the Senegambia region. In modern usage, Jolof commonly corresponds to the Wolof people who are primarily found in Senegal, with communities in The Gambia and Mauritania, and to the Wolof language.

The Jolof Empire was a medieval West African polity centered in what is now Senegal and The Gambia. Traditions describe the empire as a unification of several Wolof-speaking polities under a single ruler, with shifting centers of power along the lower Senegal and within the interior. At its height, the state controlled coastal towns and surrounding lands, integrating commerce, agriculture, and Islam into its governance. The empire played a key role in regional trade networks that linked interior communities to Atlantic ports.

Society within Jolof combined centralized authority with rule by lineage chiefs who administered territories and collected tribute. The economy relied on agriculture—millet and sorghum—complemented by fishing, trading, and the exchange of goods such as salt, textiles, and crafts along river and coastal routes. Islam spread through the region over time and influenced social and political structures.

By the 16th century, the Jolof state began to fragment under internal rivalries and the rise of neighboring powers, notably the Kaabu Confederacy, as well as external pressures from European coastal traders. The empire eventually declined, giving way to smaller successor polities such as Cayor, Baol, and Waalo. Today, Jolof mostly survives as a historical reference to the Wolof people and language, which remain central to Senegal’s cultural landscape.