Ouakam is one of the four original Lebou villages of the Cap-Vert Peninsula, along with Yoff, Ngor, and Hann.

[1] Ouakam is an ancient village that has since been absorbed as a residential suburb of Dakar.

It is situated on the Atlantic coast at the foot of a range of hills, the Deux Mamelles, Ouakam has two beaches, one of which is popular among surfers.

The African Renaissance Monument was constructed on one of the Deux Mamelles hills in Ouakam and was unveiled on April 4, 2010.

In the colonial era, Senegalese riflemen were garrisoned at Ouakam, while today the community is home to several military encampments such as the National Military Academy, a French Army air base, and a Senegalese Air Force base.