Kayes: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 14:20, 3 July 2009
Kayes
Kayi, Xaayi | |
|---|---|
Commune and city | |
 Men cross a busy street in Kayes, 2006. | |
| Country |  Mali |
| Region | Kayes |
| Cercle | Kayes Cercle |
| Town founded | 1880s |
| Elevation | 20 m (68 ft) |
| Population (2006)[1] | |
| • Total | 100,583 |
| estimate | |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
- See also: Kayes, Congo
Kayes (Bambara Kayi, Soninké Xaayi) is a city in western Mali on the River Senegal, with a population of roughly 100,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré," which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season. The city is located 317 miles (510 km) north-west of the capital Bamako.
Climate
Kayes is nicknamed the "pressure cooker of Africa" due to its extreme heat; the town is surrounded by iron-rich mountains which contribute to the temperature. Kayes is often described as the hottest continuously-inhabited town in Africa. The average daily high temperature in the city is 35°C (95°F), with temperatures usually peaking in April and May at an average 46°C (115°F).
History
Prior to French colonial expansion, Kayes was a small village. Its location on the path of the future Dakar-Niger Railway, and the French need for trade centers, led to the creation of the Kayes market town in 1881. It remains a transport hub, primarily for Senegalese trade, to this day. In 1892, Kayes became the capital of the French Sudan; Bamako replaced it as the capital, first of the state of Haut Sénégal-Niger on October 17, 1899, then as the capital of all of French Sudan in 1908.
Economy and transport
The town has an international airport (Kayes Airport), and lies on the Dakar-Niger Railway, in an area rich in gold and iron.
Area
Different sites found in and around Kayes include:
- Fort du Médine
- the falls of Félou 4 kilometres (2 mi)
- the falls of Goulina, 100 kilometres (62 mi) to the southeast on the Senegal river
- the tata (fortification) of Koniakari, constructed by El Hadj Umar Tall, 70 kilometres (43 mi) to the northeast
- Lake Magui and Lake Doro
- the Manantali Dam
Infrastructure
Kayes contains a postal office. Telephone and electricity services are available for residents of the town.[2]
References
- ^ Columbia International Affairs Online Data Provided by the Economist Intelligence Unit.
- ^ "Previsions de desserte des communes pour la periode de 2001-2005" (PDF). Mali Reforme Telecom. Retrieved January 24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)
- Portions of this article are a translation of French language Wikipedia's Kayes.
- FallingRain Map - elevation = 20m (Red dots are railways).
- Colonial history of Kayes, from Web Site of Dr. Jim Jones, African History Since 1875the West Chester University Department of History.
- View of Senegal River Bridge at Kayes: Kidira Border Crossing into Mali, December 16th 2004 by NKOverland.
14°27′N 11°26′W / 14.450°N 11.433°W
