Futa Tooro

Futa Toro (Wolof and Fula: Fuuta Tooro, فُوتَ تࣷورࣷ, 𞤆𞤵𞥄𞤼𞤢 𞤚𞤮𞥄𞤪𞤮; Arabic: فوتا تورو), often simply the Futa, is a semidesert region around the middle run of the Senegal River. This region, which is located in Senegal, is historically significant as the center of several Fulani states, and a source of jihad armies and migrants to the Fouta Djallon. The word Futa is a general name the Fulbe gave to any area they lived in, while Toro was the actual identity of the region for its inhabitants, likely derived from the ancient kingdom of Takrur. The people of the area mostly speak Pulaar, a dialect of the Fula language that spans West Africa from Senegal to Cameroon. They identified themselves by the language giving rise to the name Haalpulaar'en meaning those who speak Pulaar. The Haalpulaar'en are also known as Toucouleurs (var. Tukolor), a name also derived from of Takrur.