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Bamako

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For other uses, see Bamako (disambiguation).
Bamako, Mali
View of Bamako
View of Bamako
Bamako district
Bamako district
CountryMali
DistrictBamako
Population
 (2006)
 • Total1,690,471

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)[1]. 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 12°39′N 8°0′W / 12.650°N 8.000°W / 12.650; -8.000.[2] The name Bamako comes from the Bambara word meaning "crocodile river".[3]

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
Norm High °F 90 96 100 101 100 94 88 87 89 93 94 90
Norm Low °F 63 68 73 77 77 74 71 70 70 70 66 63
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
[4]

Layout of the city

Looking north from Pont Des Martyrs
Pont des Martyrs
File:Mosque Bamako.jpg
Bamako Grand Mosque
A Bozo girl in Bamako
Sotramas in Bamako
Avenue Al Qoods in central Bamako

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 [5] 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

References

  1. ^ World's fastest growing cities and urban areas from 2006 to 2020, by CityMayors.com
  2. ^ GEOnet Names Server (GNS), by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  3. ^ SUDANESE IMPOSE SENEGAL BOYCOTT; Traders Told to Use Port in Ivory Coast -- Move Is Aimed at Dakar's Trade New York Times - September 3, 1960
  4. ^ "Monthly Averages for Bamako, Mali". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
  5. ^ Construction du 3e Pont de Bamako : Maliens et Chinois d'accord sur les aspects techniques du projet
  • Pascal James Imperato. Historical Dictionary of Mali. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ - London (1986) ISBN 0810813696
  • Ross Velton. Mali: The Bradt Travel Guide. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press, 2000.
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