Sikasso Region
| Sikasso Region | |
|---|---|
| — Region — | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: 11°11′59″N 7°5′49″W / 11.19972°N 7.09694°WCoordinates: 11°11′59″N 7°5′49″W / 11.19972°N 7.09694°W | |
| Country |  Mali |
| Capital | Sikasso |
| Area | |
| • Total | 71,790 km2 (27,718.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2009 census)[1] | |
| • Total | 2,625,919 |
| • Density | 36.6/km2 (94.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC (UTC±0) |
Sikasso is the southern-most region of Mali. The capital city of the same name is the 3rd-largest city and is growing rapidly due to people fleeing the violence in Côte d'Ivoire to the south. Major ethnic groups include the Senoufo, known for masks and reverence for animals, the Samago, known for being Mali's best farmers, and the main ethnic group in Mali, the Bambara people. The local economy is based on farming and the Sikasso, which receives more rain than any other Malian region, is known for its fruits and vegetables.
The Sikasso Region is divided into seven cercles:[2]
- Bougouni Cercle
- Kolondiéba Cercle
- Kadiolo Cercle
- Koutiala Cercle
- Sikasso Cercle
- Yanfolila Cercle
- Yorosso Cercle
The city of Sikasso is known for a vibrant outdoor market which features fabrics, numerous vegetables and fruits (especially mangoes, for which Sikasso is particularly renowned.) Sikasso is an ethnic and linguistic melting pot featuring people from outlying villages, immigrants from Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso and refugees.
The southwest corner of the Sikasso region is traditionally known as Wassoulou. This area is known for its unique music and strong tradition of hunting. The main city of Wassoulou is Yanfolila.
Other major cities in Sikasso region include Bougouni, a junction town en route to the capitol of Mali; and Koutiala, in the northern Sikasso region, which is the hub of Mali's highly productive cotton industry, which produces one of the country's few exports.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ (in French) Resultats Provisoires RGPH 2009 (Région de Sikasso), République de Mali: Institut National de la Statistique, http://instat.gov.ml/documentation/sikasso.pdf.
- ^ (in French) Loi N°99-035/ du 10 Aout 1999 Portant Création des Collectivités Territoriales de Cercles et de Régions, Ministère de l'Administration Territoriales et des Collectivités Locales, République du Mali, 1999, http://www.matcl.gov.ml/PDF/LoiCreationCercleReg.pdf.
[edit] External links
- (in French) Synthèsis des Plans Communaux de Securité Alimentaire de la Région de Sikasso 2007-2011, Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire, République du Mali, USAID-Mali, 2007, http://www.aec.msu.edu/fs2/mali_fd_strtgy/plans/sikasso/psa_synthese_region_sikasso.pdf.
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