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Bamako
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Bamako, population 1,690,471 (2006), is the capital and largest city of Mali, and currently estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa (6th fastest in the world). It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the Upper and Middle Niger Valleys, in the southwestern part of the country. Bamako is the nation's administrative center, with a river port located in nearby Koulikoro, and a major regional trade and conference center.
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Encyclopedia
Bamako, population 1,690,471 (2006), is the capital and largest city of Mali, and currently estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa (6th fastest in the world). It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the Upper and Middle Niger Valleys, in the southwestern part of the country. Bamako is the nation's administrative center, with a river port located in nearby Koulikoro, and a major regional trade and conference center. Bamako is the 7th largest West African urban center after Lagos, Abidjan, Kano, Ibadan, Dakar and Accra. Manufactures include textiles, processed meat, and metal goods. There is commercial fishing on the Niger River. Bamako is located at . The name Bamako comes from the Bambara word meaning "crocodile river".
History
The area of the city has been continuously inhabited since the Palaeolithic, but the founding of Bamako occurred in the seventeenth century by Seribadian Niaré and Soumba Coulibaly, or Bamba Sanogo, before its chiefdom passed to Diaoussadian Niaré. The city was an important market town. In 1883 the region was occupied by French troops, and in 1908, Bamako became the capital of the French Sudan. Its population has grown rapidly; in 1960 Bamako's population was approximately 160,000.
Climate
| Monthly Normal High, Low Temperatures and Precipitation | | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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| Norm High °F | 90 | 96 | 100 | 101 | 100 | 94 | 88 | 87 | 89 | 93 | 94 | 90 |
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| Norm Low °F | 63 | 68 | 73 | 77 | 77 | 74 | 71 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 66 | 63 |
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| Precip (in) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.10 | 1.00 | 1.80 | 4.80 | 8.60 | 9.20 | 6.50 | 2.60 | 0.10 | 0.00 |
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Layout of the city
Bamako is situated on the Niger River floodplain, which hampers development along the riverfront and the Niger's tributaries. Bamako is relatively flat, except to the immediate north where there is an escarpment, being what remains of an extinct volcano. The Presidential Palace and main hospital are located here.
Originally, the city developed on the northern side of the river, but as it grew, bridges were developed to connect the north with the south. The first of these was the Pont des Martyrs (2-lane with 2 pedestrian sections) and the King Fahd Bridge (4-lane with 2 motorcycle and 2 pedestrian sections). Additionally, there is a seasonal causeway between the eastern neighborhoods of Sotuba and Misabugu inherited from colonial times (alternated traffic on 1-lane with 5 crossing sections). The Sotuba causeway ( "Chaussée submersible de Sotuba" in French, and "Babilikoroni" in Bamanankan) is typically under water from July to January. A third bridge (1.4 km long, 24 m large, 4-lane with 2 motorcycle and 2 pedestrian sections) is being built by at the same location to reduce downtown congestion, notably by trucks.
The traditional commercial centre of Bamako is to the north of the river, and contained within a triangle bounded by Avenue du Fleuve, Rue Baba Diarra and Boulevard du Peuple. This area contains the Marché Rose and Street Market. The downtown area is highly congested, polluted, and expensive, and urbanization is sprawling at a rapid pace within a radius of 30 km. The largest urbanized area now lies on the southern bank of the Niger River. A modern Central Business District is rapidly developing immediately west of the downtown area in the ACI-2000 district, taking advantage of a well-designed geometric layout, legacy of the old airport runways and taxiways. A large Administrative City is being developed at the junction between ACI-2000 and the King Fadh Bridge, purportedly to host most state departments (ministries) and administrative services in a central location.
Notable landmarks in Bamako include the National Library of Mali, Tour BCEAO, Bamako Grand Mosque, Cathedral of Bamako and the King Fahd Bridge. It is home to Mali's largest international airport, Senou International Airport, as well as the Dakar-Niger Railway, to Koulikoro in eastern Mali and Dakar in Senegal. Attractions include the Mali National Museum, the Muso Kunda Museum, the Bamako Regional Museum, Bamako Zoo, the Bamako Botanical Gardens, the Palais de la Culture Amadou Hampaté Ba and the Point G hill, containing caves with rock paintings. Bamako has hosted the biannual photography festival African Photography Encounters since 1994.
In 1988, Bamako was the location of a WHO conference known as the Bamako Initiative that helped reshape health policy of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The yearly held Budapest-Bamako rally has the endpoint in Bamako, with the Dakar Rally often passing through Bamako.
Neighborhoods
- ACI-2000
- Badalabugu, Bajalan I, Bajalan II, Bako Jikoroni, Bagadaji, Bamako Kura, Bankoni, Bolibana, Bozola, Bugudani, Bulkasumbugu
- Dar Salam, Dawdabugu, Dravela
- Fajigila, Falaje
- Garantigibugu
- Jalakoroji (bordering Bamako District), Janekela, Janjigila, Jelibugu, Jikoroni Para, Jumanzana
- Hamdallaye, Hippodrome
- Kalaban Koro (bordering Bamako District), Kalaban Kura, Korofina, Kuluba, Kulubleni
- Lafiabugu
- Madina Kura, Misabugu, Misira
- Niarela, Ntomikorobugu
- Point G
- Quartier du Fleuve, Quartier Mali, Quinzanbugu
- Sabalibugu I, Sabalibugu II, Safo (bordering Bamako District), Same, Sangarebugu (bordering Bamako District), Saranbugu (bordering Bamako District), Sebeninkoro, Sikoroni, Sirakoro, Senu, Sibiribugu, Sokoroji, Sotuba
- Titibugu (bordering Bamako District), Torokorobugu, TSF-Sans Fil
- Wolofobugu
- Yirimanjo
- Zone Industrielle
Sister cities
External links
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