Bouaké

Bouaké Bwake
University hospital complex of Bouaké
Country	Ivory Coast
Region	Vallée du Bandama
department	Bouaké Department
Boroughs	List communes of Abidjan City subprefectures outside of Abidjan City
Population  (2002)
• Total	775,300
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)

Bouaké (or Bwake) is the second largest city in Côte d'Ivoire, with a population of 775,300 (2002 census). It is the main urban settlement of the Bouaké Department with a population exceeding 1.2 million, in the Vallée du Bandama Region. The city is located in the central part of Côte d'Ivoire about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northeast of Lake Kossou, the country's largest lake, some 350 kilometres (220 mi) north of Abidjan on the Abidjan-Niger Railway and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northeast of Yamoussoukro, the capital of Côte d'Ivoire.

Bouaké is a centre for the Baoulé people and is known for its crafts. The economy is based on the cotton industry. The city largely grew from the 1970s after the construction of the power station at Kossou Lake flooded land to the west of the city. Bouaké is known for its large carnival and market and for the St Michael's Cathedral. The city has a large airport located north-west of the city with a 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) runway. Manchester City F.C defender Kolo Touré and his brothers Yaya Touré and Ibrahim Touré were born in Bouaké.

Demographics

Year	Population
1921	3,600
1945	22 000
1960	60,000
1970	120,000
1975	175,000
1988	333,000
1998	1,200,000

History

Bouaké was established as a French military post in 1899 and has been an administrative center since 1914.

French and United Nations peacekeepers currently reside in the city as part of an enforced ceasefire between the rebel-held north and the government-held south. After the attempt to overthrow the president Laurent Gbagbo had failed, the rebel forces FN (forces nouvelles) led by Guillaume Soro made Bouaké their center of control. Subsequently, Bouaké University, opened in 1996, was closed down in September 2002. Financed by Unesco, the university reopened in April, 2005.

On November 4, 2004, governmental forces used Sukhoi-25's to raid the city as an opening movement towards "territorial liberation," according to Captain Jean-Noël Abbey of the Côte d'Ivoire army. Korhogo, 225 km north of Bouaké, was also targeted.

Economy

Tobacco products, building materials, and textiles are produced, and cotton sisal and rice are processed. Gold, mercury, and manganese are found nearby.

Education

Higher education Publique University of Bouaké Primary Schools Public Ecole primaire Publique Zone1

Secondary Schools Public Lycée classique Lycée technique lycée Djibo Sounkalo (ex lycée Municipal) Lycée moderne Belleville Private Lycée Saint-Viateur Lycée René Descartes (école francaise) Public Colleges College de jeunes filles Collège Moderne TSF College moderne de Nimbo (ex COB) College G. Koko (ex CEG KOKO) Private Colleges Collège Marie Thérèse Yamousso Collège Martin Luther King Collège Moderne Saint Jacques Collège Victor Hugo Collège Ruth Fidèle Collège Ouezzin Coulibaly Collège Renaissance Collège Moderne N'Takpe Collège Saint-Viateur Collège international chrétien Collège Adventiste

Administration

List of mayors of Bouaké since 1960

Date elected	Name	Party
1960	Djibo Sounkalo	PDCI-RDA
1980	Konan Blédou	PDCI-RDA
1985	Konan Blédou	PDCI-RDA
1990	Konan Antoine	PDCI-RDA
1995	Konan Konan Denis	PDCI-RDA
2000	Fanny Ibrahima	RDR

Communes

• Abolikro
• Bouaké

Religion

The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bouaké. The catherdral of the archdiocese is the Cathédrale Sainte Thérèse in Bouaké. However, the city is predominantly Muslim.

Sport

• Stade Bouaké‎

Kolo Touré of Manchester City was born in Bouaké. Yaya Toure, Kolo's brother was also born in Bouaké.

Sister cities

• Villeneuve-sur-Lot, France
• Reutlingen, Germany

External links

• Bouaké Travel Guide from World66