Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
and largest city of
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali ...
, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the
Niger River
The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through ...
, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the country.
Bamako is the nation's administrative centre. The city proper is a
cercle in its own right. Bamako's
river port
An inland port is a port on an inland waterway, such as a river, lake, or canal, which may or may not be connected to the sea. The term "inland port" is also used to refer to a dry port.
Examples
The United States Army Corps of Engineers publ ...
is located in nearby
Koulikoro
Koulikoro ( Bambara: ߞߎߟߌߞߏߙߏ tr. Kulikoro) is a town and urban commune in Mali. The capital of the Koulikoro Region, Koulikoro is located on banks of the Niger River, downstream from Mali's capital Bamako.
Koulikoro is the terminus of ...
, along with a major regional trade and conference center. Bamako is the seventh-largest
West African
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Ma ...
urban center after
Lagos
Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...
,
Abidjan
Abidjan ( , ; N'Ko script, N’ko: ߊߓߌߖߊ߲߬) is the economic capital of the Ivory Coast. As of the Demographics of Ivory Coast, 2021 census, Abidjan's population was 6.3 million, which is 21.5 percent of overall population of the country, ...
,
Kano
Kano may refer to:
Places
*Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria
* Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State
**Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries
**Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...
,
Ibadan
Ibadan (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano, with a total population of 3,649,000 as of 2021, and over 6 million people within its me ...
,
Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
, and
Accra
Accra (; tw, Nkran; dag, Ankara; gaa, Ga or ''Gaga'') is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , ...
. Locally manufactured goods include textiles, processed meat, and metal goods as well as mining. Commercial fishing occurs on the Niger River.
The name Bamako ( ''Bàmakɔ̌'' in
Bambara) comes from the Bambara word meaning "crocodile river".
History
The area of the city has evidence of settlements since the
Palaeolithic
The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (), also called the Old Stone Age (from Greek: παλαιός ''palaios'', "old" and λίθος ''lithos'', "stone"), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone too ...
era. The fertile lands of the Niger River Valley provided the people with an abundant food supply and early kingdoms in the area grew wealthy as they established trade routes linking across west Africa, the
Sahara
, photo = Sahara real color.jpg
, photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972
, map =
, map_image =
, location =
, country =
, country1 =
, ...
, and leading to northern Africa and Europe. The early inhabitants traded
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
,
ivory
Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals is ...
,
kola nut
The term kola nut usually refers to the seeds of certain species of plant of the genus ''Cola'', placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and now usually subsumed in the mallow family Malvaceae (as subfamily Sterculioideae). These cola ...
s, and salt.
By the 11th century, the
Empire of Ghana
The Ghana Empire, also known as Wagadou ( ar, غانا) or Awkar, was a West African empire based in the modern-day southeast of Mauritania and western Mali that existed from c. 300 until 1100. The Empire was founded by the Soninke people, an ...
became the first kingdom to dominate the area.
The
Mali Empire
The Mali Empire ( Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl ...
grew during the early Middle Ages and replaced Ghana as the dominant kingdom in west Africa, dominating
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
, Gambia,
Guinea
Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
, and
Mauritania
Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
.
In the 14th century, the Mali Empire became increasingly wealthy because of the trade of cotton, gold and salt. Bamako became a center of commerce and Islamic learning, but declined when Mali was overthrown by the Songhai.
The Scottish explorer
Mungo Park visited Bamako in 1797 and 1806 during his exploration of the Niger River. He estimated that the city at the time held 6000 inhabitants, but it would decline in importance up until the French conquest in 1883 and Bamako being named the capital of
French Sudan
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
in 1908. A railroad connecting Bamako to Dakar was completed in 1923.
![Fort de Bammakou](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Fort_de_Bammakou.jpg)
Mali gained independence from France in April 1960, and the Republic of Mali was later established. At this time, Bamako had a population of around 160,000. During the 1960s, the country became socialist and Bamako was subject to
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
investment and influence.
However, the economy declined as state enterprises collapsed and unrest was widespread.
Eventually,
Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré (25 September 1936 – 15 September 2020) was a Malian soldier, politician, and dictator who was President of Mali from 1968 to 1991. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ousting of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he ...
led a successful coup and ruled Mali for 23 years. However his rule was characterised by severe droughts and poor government management and problems of food shortages.
In the late 1980s the people of Bamako and Mali campaigned for a free-market economy and multiparty democracy. In 1990, the
National Congress for Democratic Initiative
The National Congress for Democratic Initiative (french: Congrès national d'initiative démocratique, CNID; bam, Faso yiriwa ton) is a political party in Mali, founded in 1990 and led by Mountaga Tall.
In the first presidential election followi ...
(''Congrès National d'Initiative démocratique'', CNID) was set up by the lawyer
Mountaga Tall
Mountaga Tall (born December 10, 1956) is a Malian politician who is President of the National Congress for Democratic Initiative (CNID)[Alliance for Democracy in Mali
The Alliance for Democracy in Mali – African Party for Solidarity and Justice (french: Alliance pour la démocratie au Mali – Parti africain pour la solidarité et la justice, ADEMA-PASJ) is a political party in Mali.
On October 25, 1990, oppo ...]
(''Alliance pour la démocratie au Mali'', ADEMA) by Abdramane Baba and historian
Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré (born 2 February 1946) is a Malian politician, who served as President of Mali for two five-year terms from 1992 to 2002 and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008.
Scholarly career
Alpha Oumar Ko ...
. These with the ''Association des élèves et étudiants du Mali'' (AEEM) and the
Association Malienne des Droits de l'Homme
Association Malienne des Droits de l'Homme (AMDH) is a Malian non-profit human rights non-governmental organization founded in Bamako, Mali on 11 December 1988.
Leadership
Moustapha Cisse was President of the AMDH in 2006. , Moctat Mariko holds t ...
(AMDH) aimed to oust Moussa Traoré. Under the old constitution, all labor unions had to belong to one confederation, the
National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM). When the leadership of the UNTM broke from the government in 1990, the opposition grew. Groups were driven by paycuts and layoffs in the government sector, and the Malian government acceding to pressure from international donors to privatise large swathes of the economy that had remained in public hands even after the overthrow of the socialist government in 1968. Students, even children, played an increasing role in the protest marches in Bamako, and homes and businesses of those associated with the regime were ransacked by crowds.
On 22 March 1991, a large-scale protest march in central Bamako was violently suppressed, with estimates of those killed reaching 300. Four days later, a military coup deposed Traoré. The ''Comité de Transition pour le Salut du Peuple'' was set up, headed by General
Amadou Toumani Touré
Amadou Toumani Touré (4 November 19489 November 2020) was a Malian politician. He supervised Mali's first multiparty elections as chairman of the transitional government (1991–1992), and later became the second democratically-elected Presiden ...
. Alpha Oumar Konari officially became president on 26 April 1992.
On 20 November 2015, two gunmen
took 170 people hostage in the
Radisson Blu
Radisson Blu is an international chain of hotels operated by Radisson Hotels. With roots dating back to the 1960s, the Radisson Blu brand name came into existence in 2009 with a rebranding from Radisson SAS. Its hotels are found in major cities, ...
hotel. Twenty-one people‚ including three Chinese businessmen were killed in the
"Bamako hotel attack" along with the two gunmen during the seven-hour siege.
Geography
![Pont des Martyrs Bamako](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Pont_des_Martyrs_Bamako.jpg)
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 an
escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations.
The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''escar ...
is found, being what remains of an extinct volcano. The Presidential Palace and main hospital are located here.
![Bamakolooking north from the old bridge](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Bamakolooking_north_from_the_old_bridge.jpg)
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 two pedestrian sections) and the
King Fahd Bridge
The King Fahd Bridge (Pont Roi Fahd) of Bamako, Mali connects the older sections of the Malian capital to its broad suburbs on the south shore of the Niger River.
One of three road bridges across the Niger at Bamako, it is also known as the "New ...
(four-lane with two motorcycle and two pedestrian sections). Additionally, a seasonal causeway between the eastern neighborhoods of Sotuba and Misabugu was inherited from colonial times (alternated traffic on one lane with five 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 wide, four-lane with two motorcycle and two pedestrian sections) is being built at the same location to reduce downtown congestion, notably by trucks.
Environment
Waste Management Controversy
In 2015, the Bamako city government privatized waste collection in the city. Before the introduction of this program there was a long standing informal waste collection system carried out by "Economic interest groups." Before the privatization these independent groups collected waste throughout the city. After privatization, not only did many waste collectors become unemployed but the corporation that they enlisted to do the job was collecting only 30% of Bamako's waste. The garbage build up creates toxic living conditions and it only worsens when it rains. Due to the prevalence of waste in Bamako's streets, including informal dumping sites near a school, citizens have taken to protesting, marching and it has even escalated to the point of property damage.
Climate
Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, Bamako features a
tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...
''Aw''). Located in the
Sudano-
Sahel
The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...
ian zone, Bamako is very hot on average all year round with the hottest months being between March and May. The mildest months are between November and February. During the dry season, rainfall is scarce: virtually none falls between November and April due to the dominance of the Saharan anticyclone and the dry
trade winds
The trade winds or easterlies are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisph ...
. The rainy season occurs in the summer with the peak occurring with a few storms beginning in May, then transitioning to the monsoon from June to October.
Administration
The District of Bamako has been divided into six communes (distinguished by numbers, and not named) since Ordinance No. 78-34/CNLM of 18 August 1978, and amended by a law in February 1982 establishing the new boundaries of Communes III and IV. Each commune is administered by the municipal council and a mayor elected from among its members. The last elections were held on 26 April 2009 and the
Alliance for Democracy in Mali
The Alliance for Democracy in Mali – African Party for Solidarity and Justice (french: Alliance pour la démocratie au Mali – Parti africain pour la solidarité et la justice, ADEMA-PASJ) is a political party in Mali.
On October 25, 1990, oppo ...
hold the majority of representatives for the communes.
Communes and neighborhoods
Commune I has a population of 335,407 people (2009) and covers . It is bounded to the north by the rural commune of
Djalakorodji (
Kati Cercle
Kati Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Koulikoro Region of Mali. Its seat is the town of Kati, which is also its largest town. It lies at the southwest corner of the region, and completely surrounds the Bamako Capital District. Unti ...
), west by the Commune II, north-east by the rural commune of
Sangarebougou (Kati Cercle), on the east by the rural commune of
Gabakourou and south by the Niger River. Nine neighborhoods comprise this commune: Banconi, Boulkassombougou, Djelibougou, Doumanzana Fadjiguila, Sotuba Korofina North, and South Korofina Sikoroni.
Commune II has a population of 159,805 people (2009) and covers . It is bounded to the east by the backwater of Korofina at the west foot of the Point G hill, and to the south by
Niger River
The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through ...
. The municipality has eleven neighborhoods: Niaréla (the oldest), Bagadadji, Medina-Coura, Bozola, Missira, Hippodrome, Quinzambougou, Bakaribougou, TSF, Industrial Area, and Bougouba. The new
Cité du Niger island is also located in the Commune II. The area is the most important in the industry sector in Bamako.
Commune III has a population of 128,872 people (2009) and covers . It is bounded on the north by the
Kati
KATI (94.3 FM), branded as 94.3 KAT Country, is a radio station which broadcasts country music and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. Licensed to California, Missouri, the station serves the Jefferson City area and is owned by the Zimmer Radio Group ...
, east by the Boulevard du Peuple, which separates it from the Commune II, south by the portion of the Niger River, between the Pont des Martyrs and the Motel de Bamako, and west by the
Farako River and Avenue Cheick Zayed El Mahyan Ben Sultan with the neighborhood of ACI-2000. Commune III is the administrative and commercial center of Bamako. It accommodates in particular the two largest markets in the capital, the Grand Market and Dibida. Twenty neighborhoods make up this commune and the villages of Koulouninko and Sirakorodounfing were attached to the Commune III.
Commune IV has a population of 300,085 people (2009) and covers . It is bounded to the east by Commune III, north, west by Kati Cercle and south by the left bank of the Niger River. Commune IV consists of eight neighborhoods: Taliko, Lassa, Sibiribougou, Djikoroni Para, Sébénikoro, Hamdallaye, Lafiabougou and Kalabambougou.
Commune V has a population of 414,668 people (2009) and covers . It is bounded to the north by the Niger River, south by the airport and the commune of
Kalabancoro
Kalabancoro or Kalaban Koro is a rural commune and town in the ''cercle'' of Kati within the Koulikoro Region of south-western Mali. The commune has become part of the suburbs of Bamako, the Malian capital. It lies on the south side of the Nige ...
, and to the east by the Commune VI and Niger. It consists of eight neighborhoods: Badalabougou, Sema I, Quartier Mali, Torokorobougou, Baco-Djicoroni, Sabalibougou, Daoudabougou and Kalaban-Coura.
Commune VI has a population of 470,269 people (2009) and covers . This is the largest of the communes that make up Bamako. It consists of ten neighborhoods: Banankabougou, Djanékéla, Faladié, Magnambougou, Missabougou, Niamakoro, Sénou, Sogoniko, Sokorodji and Yrimadio.
Bamako contains the following neighborhoods (quartiers): ACI-2000, Badalabugu, Bajalan I, Bajalan II, Bako Jikoroni, Bagadaji, Bamako Kura, Bankoni, Bolibana, Bozola, Bugudani, Bulkasumbugu, Dar Salam, N'tomikorobougou, Dawdabugu, Dravela, Fajigila, Falaje, Garantigibugu, Jalakoroji, Janekela, Janjigila, Jelibugu, Jikoroni Para, Jumanzana, Hamdallaye,
Hippodrome
The hippodrome ( el, ἱππόδρομος) was an ancient Greek stadium for horse racing and chariot racing. The name is derived from the Greek words ''hippos'' (ἵππος; "horse") and ''dromos'' (δρόμος; "course"). The term is used i ...
, Kalaban Koro, Kalaban Kura, Korofina, Kuluba, Kulubleni, Lafiabugu, Madina Kura, Magnambugu (Magnambugu Faso Kanu), Misabugu, Misira, Niarela, Ntomikorobugu, Point G, Quartier du Fleuve, Quartier Mali, Quinzanbugu, Sabalibugu I, Sabalibugu II, Safo, Same, Sangarebugu, Saranbugu, Sebeninkoro, Sikoroni, Sirakoro, Senu, Sibiribugu, Sokoniko, Sokoroji, Sotuba, Titibugu, Torokorobugu, TSF-Sans Fil, Wolofobugu, Yirimanjo, Zone Industrielle
Economy
Industry
The District of Bamako concentrates 70% of industrial activity in the country.
The service sector is the most developed, and the city thrives in crafts and trade.
The traditional commercial center of Bamako was located 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 . 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 area is being developed at the junction between ACI-2000 and the King Fadh Bridge, containing most of the state departments (ministries) and administrative services in a central location. Bamako is also the headquarters of many large companies and administrative institutions.
Air Mali (formerly Compagnie Aérienne du Mali) has its head office in Bamako. Bamako received much investment by
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
for decades which saw a number of important structures being built. In recent years, China has become an important investor in Bamako, developing its infrastructure and facilities.
![Bamako cattle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Bamako_cattle.jpg)
Agriculture is active in Bamako, with the presence of
Bozo
Bozo or bozo may refer to:
People
*Bozo people, a fishing people of the central Niger delta in Mali
** Bozo language, languages of the Bozo people
* Frédéric Bozo, history Professor at the University of Paris III: Sorbonne Nouvelle
* Bozo Mille ...
fisherman, and it is common to see cattle crossing the streets.
Energy
Much of the electricity is generated from the hydroelectric
Sélingué Dam
The Sélingué Dam is an embankment dam with a gravity section located in the Sikasso Region, on the Sankarani River, one of the affluents of the Niger River. It is an important center of energy production in Mali surpassed only by the Manantali ...
. The drinking water supply in Bamako and
Kati
KATI (94.3 FM), branded as 94.3 KAT Country, is a radio station which broadcasts country music and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. Licensed to California, Missouri, the station serves the Jefferson City area and is owned by the Zimmer Radio Group ...
is also ensured by a pumping station on the Niger River. However, the capacity of to provide drinking water per day is insufficient for the needs estimated at during the hot season between April and June. During this period, frequent water shortages are experienced. A new pumping station was to open in Kabala in 2009.
Architecture
![Bamakomali (3)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Bamakomali_%283%29.jpg)
The
BCEAO Tower at 20 stories is the tallest building in the West African nation. It sits on the north ("left") bank of the River Niger in the city centre.
The BCEAO Tower is the Malian headquarters of the
Central Bank of West African States
The Central Bank of West African States (french: Banque Centrale des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, BCEAO) is a central bank serving the eight west African countries which share the common West African CFA franc currency and comprise the West Af ...
, which provides development banking and government financial and currency services in several
Francophone
French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...
West African
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Ma ...
nations. Classified as
Neo-Sudanic architecture, it is modeled on the
Sudano-Sahelian architecture
Sudano-Sahelian architecture refers to a range of similar indigenous architectural styles common to the African peoples of the Sahel and Sudanian grassland (geographical) regions of West Africa, south of the Sahara, but north of the fertile for ...
of the famous mosques of
Djenne and
Timbuktu
Timbuktu ( ; french: Tombouctou;
Koyra Chiini: ); tmh, label=Tuareg, script=Tfng, ⵜⵏⴱⴾⵜ, Tin Buqt a city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. The town is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrativ ...
. The building is located in the busy
Commune III neighbourhood, where "Avenue Moussa Tavele" meets the waterside boulevard between the two main Bamako bridges:
King Fahd Bridge
The King Fahd Bridge (Pont Roi Fahd) of Bamako, Mali connects the older sections of the Malian capital to its broad suburbs on the south shore of the Niger River.
One of three road bridges across the Niger at Bamako, it is also known as the "New ...
a block west and
Martyrs Bridge three blocks east. Just to the east of the BCEAO complex, a park and formal garden mark where the diagonally running "Boulevard du Peuple" reaches the river. By contrast, small market gardens and launching points or river canoes lie along the river front.
The
Cité Administrative (Administrative City) is a complex of buildings located just west of the northern end of the King Fahd Bridge. The complex was begun in 2003 by then President
Konaré with the help of funding from the government of Libya. The Cité Administrative was completed in 2010 and houses many of the offices of the government.
Demographics
![BamakoMali](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/BamakoMali.jpg)
Bamako has experienced staggering population growth. In 1884, it had only 2,500 inhabitants, 8,000 in 1908, 37,000 in 1945, and 100,000 in 1960. Today, the population is at least 18 times what it was in 1960, with 1,810,366 recorded at the 2009 census, and continues to attract a rural population in search of work.
Including illegal squatters and temporary workers, some experts believe the population today is well over 2 million. This uncontrolled growth has caused significant difficulties in terms of traffic, sanitation (including access to safe water), and pollution. Bamako hosts a diverse population composed of different ethnic groups in Mali and from neighboring countries.
Culture
The
National Library of Mali
]
The National Library of Mali (french: Direction nationale des Bibliothèques et de la Documentation) is located in Bamako, Mali.
In 1938, the '' Institut Français d’Afrique Noire'' (IFAN) was established to study the language, history, and cu ...
was first created by the
Institut Français d'Afrique Noire, an arm of the French colonial government, in 1944. Following Mali's 1960 independence, this library became the Government Library; it would later be renamed again as the National Library of Mali. In 1968, the library was transferred from its initial home in Koulouba to Ouolofobougou, a section of Bamako. The library holds more than 60,000 works, including books, periodicals, audio documents, videos, and software. These materials are available free to the public, though a small subscription fee is required for borrowing privileges. The library also hosts some of the exhibits for
African Photography Encounters
African Photography Encounters (french: Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie) is a biennial exhibition in Bamako, Mali, held since 1994. The exhibition, featuring exhibits by contemporary African photographers, is spread over several Bamako ...
, a biannual Bamako photography festival.
The
National Museum of Mali
The National Museum of Malí (french: Musée national du Mali) is an archaeological and anthropological museum located in Bamako, the capital of Mali. It presents permanent and temporary exhibits on the history of Mali, as well as the musical inst ...
is an archeological and anthropological museum, presenting permanent and temporary exhibits on the prehistory of Mali, as well as the musical instruments, dress, and ritual objects associated with Mali's various
ethnic group
An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...
s. The National Museum began under French rule as the Sudanese Museum, part of the
Institut Français d'Afrique Noire (IFAN) under
Théodore Monod
Théodore André Monod (9 April 1902 – 22 November 2000) was a French naturalist, humanist, scholar and explorer.
Exploration
Early in his career, Monod was made professor at the ''Muséum national d'histoire naturelle'' and founded the '' Inst ...
. It was opened on 14 February 1953, under the direction of
Ukrainian
Ukrainian may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
* Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe
* Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine
* So ...
archeologist
Yuriy Shumovskyi. Shumovskyi had worked in the museum for nine years, gathering half (nearly 3,000) of today's finds.
With the independence of the Republic of Mali in 1960, the Sudanese Museum became the National Museum of Mali, with the new objectives of promoting national unity and celebrating Malian traditional culture. However, lack of financial means and absence of qualified personnel caused some deterioration in the museum's collections. On 30 March 1956, the National Museum moved into a new
cement
A cement is a binder, a chemical substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind sand and gravel ( aggregate) together. Cement mix ...
ed structure, created by architect
Jean-Loup Pivin from traditional Malian designs. Since the 1996 election of former archaeologist
Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré (born 2 February 1946) is a Malian politician, who served as President of Mali for two five-year terms from 1992 to 2002 and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission from 2003 to 2008.
Scholarly career
Alpha Oumar Ko ...
to Mali's presidency, the museum's funding has increased considerably, becoming among the best in West Africa. The museum often hosts part of the biannual
African Photography Encounters
African Photography Encounters (french: Rencontres Africaines de la Photographie) is a biennial exhibition in Bamako, Mali, held since 1994. The exhibition, featuring exhibits by contemporary African photographers, is spread over several Bamako ...
, photography festival held in Bamako since 1994.
Also of note is the
Muso Kunda Museum, the
Bamako Regional Museum
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...
,
Bamako Zoo
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...
, the
Bamako Botanical Gardens
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger River ...
, the National Conference Center Tower (NCC), the Souvenir Pyramid, the Independence Monument, Al Quoods Monument, the triangular ''Monument de la paix'', the Hamdallaye obelisk, the Modibo Keita Memorial and many other monuments, the
Palais de la Culture Amadou Hampaté Ba
The Palais de la culture Amadou Hampaté Ba is the national performing arts centre for Mali, located in the capitol Bamako. Founded in 1976, the PCAHB is a public establishment, supported by the state for the preservation of traditional means of a ...
and the
Point G hill, containing caves with
rock paintings
In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also m ...
.
In 1988, Bamako was the location of a
WHO
Who or WHO may refer to:
* Who (pronoun), an interrogative or relative pronoun
* Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism
* World Health Organization
Arts and entertainment Fictional characters
* Who, a creature in the Dr. Seuss book '' Horton He ...
conference known as the
Bamako Initiative
The Bamako Initiative was a formal statement adopted by African health ministers in 1987 in Bamako, Mali, to implement strategies designed to increase the availability of essential drugs and other healthcare services for Sub-Saharan Africans.
The ...
that helped reshape health policy of
sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
. The yearly held
Budapest-Bamako
The Budapest-Bamako or Great African Run is a charity car race in Africa, and the largest amateur rally in the world. It is a low-budget version of the Dakar Rally, and goes from Budapest, Hungary to Bamako, Mali through t ...
rally has the endpoint in Bamako, with the
Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally (or simply "The Dakar"; formerly known as the "Paris–Dakar Rally") is an annual rally raid organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Most events since the inception in 1978 were staged from Paris, France, to Dakar, Senegal, ...
often passing through Bamako.
Music
A music boom in Bamako took off in the 1990s, when vocalist
Salif Keita
Salif Keïta () (born 25 August 1949) is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali.
Biography Early life
Salif Keita was born a traditional prince in the village o ...
and singer-guitarist
Ali Farka Touré
Ali Ibrahim "Ali Farka" Touré (31 October 1939 – 6 March 2006) was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music blends traditional Malian music and its deriv ...
achieved international fame.
It attracted a number of tourists, record producers, and aspiring musicians to the city to try to follow in their footsteps. It is common to see musicians in the streets with ''
djembe
A djembe or jembe ( ; from Maninka language, Malinke ''jembe'' , N'Ko script, N'Ko: ) is a rope-tuned skin-covered goblet drum played with bare hands, originally from West Africa.
According to the Bambara people in Mali, the name of the djembe ...
s'' and percussion bands playing traditional Bamana rhythms.
Education
In 2011, four universities were founded; the
University of Social Sciences and Management of Bamako (USSGB), the
University of Humanities and Social Sciences of Bamako (ULSHB), the
University of Science, Technology and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB) and the
University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako (USJPB).
In 1972, the
Union Malienne Des Aveugles, an integrated school and centre for the blind and partially sighted, was established.
Places of worship
File:Bamako Cathedral.jpg, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bamako
The Sacred Heart Cathedral (french: Cathédrale du Sacré-Cœur-de-Jésus de Bamako) is located in Bamako, the capital of Mali it serves as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Bamako.
History
Bamako was originally a traditional village. It gradua ...
Among the
places of worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
, they are predominantly
Muslim
Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
mosques. There are also
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
churches and temples :
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bamako
The Archdiocese of Bamako is the Metropolitan bishop, Metropolitan Episcopal See, Archdiocesan See for the Ecclesiastical province which covers all and only Mali, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
...
(
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
), Église Chrétienne Évangélique du Mali (
Alliance World Fellowship
The Alliance World Fellowship is the international governing body of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (The Alliance, also C&MA and CMA). The Alliance is an evangelical Protestant denomination within the Higher Life movement of Christianity ...
),
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
.
Islam
*
Eyoub Mosque
Transport
![Taxi vans in Bamako](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Taxi_vans_in_Bamako.jpg)
The
Dakar-Niger Railway links Bamako to
Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
via
Kati
KATI (94.3 FM), branded as 94.3 KAT Country, is a radio station which broadcasts country music and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. Licensed to California, Missouri, the station serves the Jefferson City area and is owned by the Zimmer Radio Group ...
,
Négala,
Kita, and
Kayes
Kayes (Bambara language, Bambara: ߞߊߦߌ tr. ''Kayi'', Soninke language, Soninké: ''Xaayi'') is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River with a population of 127,368 at the 2009 census. Kayes is the capital of the Kayes Region, administ ...
.
In 2015, a rail link to
San-Pédro in
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
is proposed.
The road network links Bamako to
Koulikoro
Koulikoro ( Bambara: ߞߎߟߌߞߏߙߏ tr. Kulikoro) is a town and urban commune in Mali. The capital of the Koulikoro Region, Koulikoro is located on banks of the Niger River, downstream from Mali's capital Bamako.
Koulikoro is the terminus of ...
, Kati,
Kolokani
Kolokani is a town of approximately 57,307 inhabitants in Mali's Koulikoro Region.
It is the capital of the Cercle of Kolokani, which consists of 10 rural communes (Didieni, Guihoyo, Kolokani, Massantola, Nonkon, Nossombougou, Ouolodo, Sagabala, ...
,
Ségou
Ségou (; bm, ߛߋߓߎ, italic=no, ) is a town and an urban commune in south-central Mali that lies northeast of Bamako on the right bank of the River Niger. The town is the capital of the Ségou Cercle and the Ségou Region. With 130,690 i ...
, and
Sikasso
Sikasso ( Bambara: ߛߌߞߊߛߏ tr. Sikaso) is a city in the south of Mali and the capital of the Sikasso Cercle and the Sikasso Region. It is Mali's second largest city with 225,753 residents in the 2009 census.
History
Sikasso was founded a ...
.
![Aéroport international Modibo Keïta1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/A%C3%A9roport_international_Modibo_Ke%C3%AFta1.jpg)
The
Bamako-Sénou International Airport
Modibo Keita International Airport (formerly Bamako–Sénou International Airport) is Mali's main airport located approximately south of downtown Bamako, the capital of Mali in West Africa. It is the country's only international airport. It ...
is from the city and opened to passengers in 1974. Passenger traffic steadily increased in the early 2000s. Government figures revealed 403,380 passengers in 1999, 423,506 in 2003, 486,526 in 2004, and 516,000 in 2005, and is predicted to reach over 900,000 by 2015 under a low (4%) yearly growth-rate scenario.
[Composante aéroport Bamako-Sénou]
, Proposition MCA-Mali (2006) To date this growth rate has been surpassed. Total air traffic the airport increased by 12.4% in 2007 and 14% in 2008. Most of this increase came in passenger transport, with the number of passengers served increasing by 20% in 2007 and 17% in 2008. Twenty-seven airline carriers operated weekly or better at Bamako-Sénou International Airport in the 2007–2008 period. This continued growth was offset by cargo flights' decline of 16.75% in 2007, and 3.93% in 2008.
["Air traffic at Bamako airport increases by 14% in 2008"]
. PANA press. 2009-01-14 The highest frequency route is on the Bamako-Dakar sector with 29 weekly non-stop connections. Domestic flights also serve Mali's regional capitals
Kayes
Kayes (Bambara language, Bambara: ߞߊߦߌ tr. ''Kayi'', Soninke language, Soninké: ''Xaayi'') is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River with a population of 127,368 at the 2009 census. Kayes is the capital of the Kayes Region, administ ...
,
Mopti
Mopti ( Bambara: ߡߏߕߌ tr. Moti) is a town and an urban commune in the Inner Niger Delta region of Mali. The town is the capital of the Mopti Cercle and the Mopti Region. Situated 630 km northeast of Bamako, the town lies at the conflue ...
,
Timbuktu
Timbuktu ( ; french: Tombouctou;
Koyra Chiini: ); tmh, label=Tuareg, script=Tfng, ⵜⵏⴱⴾⵜ, Tin Buqt a city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. The town is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrativ ...
,
Sikasso
Sikasso ( Bambara: ߛߌߞߊߛߏ tr. Sikaso) is a city in the south of Mali and the capital of the Sikasso Cercle and the Sikasso Region. It is Mali's second largest city with 225,753 residents in the 2009 census.
History
Sikasso was founded a ...
,
Gao
Gao , or Gawgaw/Kawkaw, is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley.
For much of its history Gao was an impor ...
, and
Kidal
Kidal ( Tuareg Berber: ⴾⴸⵍ, KDL, Kidal) is a town and commune in the desert region of northern Mali. The town lies northeast of Gao and is the capital of the Kidal Cercle and the Kidal Region. The commune has an area of about and includes ...
. Bamako Senou International Airport is managed by
Aéroports du Mali
Aéroports du Mali (ADM; English: Airports of Mail) is a Malian company in charge of commercial exploitation, protection and development of facilities and equipment of Mali's airports open to public air traffic. Its headquarters is in the capital ...
(ADM).
Its operations are overseen by the Malian Ministry of Equipment and Transports.
Today, with the new administrative arrangement, the territory of Mali will henceforth comprise twenty (20) Regions instead of eight (08), plus the District of Bamako which will henceforth comprise ten (10) urban communes instead of six (06)
Much of the transportation is either by the Niger River, or by paved roads linking Bamako to other major urban areas. Navigating the river is possible from Koulikoro to Mopti and Gao. The bush taxi is one of the main modes of transport.
Bamako is situated on both sides of the Niger River and three bridges connect the two banks: the Bridge of Martyrs completed in 1960 and renamed in memory of protesters killed in March 1991 by the regime of
Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré (25 September 1936 – 15 September 2020) was a Malian soldier, politician, and dictator who was President of Mali from 1968 to 1991. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ousting of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he ...
, the
King Fahd Bridge
The King Fahd Bridge (Pont Roi Fahd) of Bamako, Mali connects the older sections of the Malian capital to its broad suburbs on the south shore of the Niger River.
One of three road bridges across the Niger at Bamako, it is also known as the "New ...
, named after the Saudi Arabian donor, and a third bridge, the ''Pont de l’amitié sino-malienne'' funded by the People's Republic of China. Located in Sotuba area, it has the objective to decongest traffic in the city.
Healthcare
The Point G hospital, built between 1906 and 1913, covers . A former military hospital, it became a civilian hospital shortly before the independence of Mali, and is situated on a hill overlooking Bamako.
The second hospital of Bamako is the Gabriel Touré Hospital named after a young doctor and humanist Gabriel Touré who was born in 1910 in
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou ( , , ) is the capital and largest city of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural, and economic centre of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 2,415,266 in 2019. The city's n ...
and died in 1935 after having been contaminated by a patient with the
pneumonic plague
Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection caused by the bacterium ''Yersinia pestis''. Symptoms include fever, headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing. They typically start about three to seven days after exposure. It is one o ...
. The hospital was established in 1959.
The contract for the building of a new hospital in Bamako, to relieve pressure on the other hospital resources was signed on 27 December 2008. Located in the district of
Yirimadio, the department will include a pediatric and obstetrics-gynecology facilities, a department of internal medicine, medical imagery facilities and hospital care with 150 beds to support the emergency services and intensive care. This hospital, like many recent developments in Bamako is financed and equipped with Chinese investment.
In popular culture
Bamako has provided the backdrop or been the subject of books and films such as ''
Bamako
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on t ...
'', directed by
Abderrahmane Sissako
Abderrahmane Sissako (born 13 October 1961) is a Mauritanian-born Malian film director and producer. His film '' Waiting for Happiness'' (''Heremakono'') was screened at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival official selection under Un Certain Regard, ...
. The film depicts a trial taking place in Bamako, amid the daily life that is going on in the city. In the midst of that trial, two sides argue whether the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
and
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster globa ...
, or perhaps corruption, are guilty of the financial state of many poverty-stricken African countries. The film was first released at the Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2006 and in
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
by
New Yorker Films New Yorker Films is an independent film distribution company founded by Daniel Talbot in 1965. It started as an extension of his Manhattan movie house, the New Yorker Theater, founded 1960, after a film's producer would not allow for a movie's sin ...
on 14 February 2007 and was the recipient of the first
Film Award of the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe Film Award (FACE) is presented at the Istanbul International Film Festival by the Council of Europe to the director whose entry to the festival raises public awareness and interest in human rights issues and promotes a bette ...
given at the
Istanbul International Film Festival
The Istanbul Film Festival ( tr, İstanbul Film Festivali) is the first and oldest international film festival in Turkey, organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts. It is held every year in April in movie theaters in Istanbul, Tu ...
in April 2007.
Bamako was one of the cities featured in ''
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?'', an educational computer game staple of the 1980s.
Notable people
*
Amadou & Mariam
Amadou & Mariam are a musical duo from Mali, composed of the Bamako-born couple Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) (born 24 October 1954) and Mariam Doumbia (vocals) (born 15 April 1958).
Their album '' Welcome To Mali'' (2008) was nominated ...
*
Sangaré Niamoto Ba
*
Ousmane Cisse
Ousmane Cisse (born October 20, 1982) is a Malian retired professional basketball player. Standing at 6' 9" he played both power forward and center positions. In 2005-06 he was the top rebounder in the Israel Basketball Premier League, as well as ...
*
Mohamed Coulibaly
*
Idrissa Coulibaly
Idrissa Coulibaly (born 19 December 1987) is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a defender.
Club career
Born in Bamako, Mali, Coulibaly began his career at the age of 10 in the junior ranks of JS Centre Salif Keita. In 2006, while ...
*
Massa Makan Diabaté
Massa Makan Diabaté (June 12, 1938 – January 27, 1988) was a Malian historian, author, and playwright.
Biography
Born in 1938 in Kita, Massa Makan Diabaté was the descendant of a long line of West African poets (griots). His uncle, Kélé ...
*
Sidy Fassara Diabaté
*
Drissa Diakite
*
Mahamadou Diarra
Mahamadou Diarra (born 18 May 1981) is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He served as captain for the Mali national team.
Club career OFI Crete
Diarra started his professional career at Greek club ...
*
Drissa Diarra
*
Moké Diarra
*
Lamine Diawara
Lamine Diawara (born 1971 in Bamako) is a retired Malian basketball player. Diawara was a member of the Mali national basketball team, and earned the FIBA AfroBasket Most Valuable Player while playing with Team Mali at the FIBA Africa Championsh ...
*
Nare Diawara
*
Yaya Dissa
Yaya Mamadou Dissa (born 18 September 1975) is a Malian international footballer who last played for Division d'Honneur side Niort Saint-Florent.
Career
Born in Nioro, Dissa began playing youth football for local side AS Mandé. He played as a ...
*
Adama Drabo
Adama Drabo (1948 - July 15, 2009) was a Malian filmmaker and playwright.
Biography
Drabo was in the Malian capital of Bamako, Mali, where he showed an interest in film since his childhood. For ten years, he was a schoolteacher in a Malian vil ...
*
Bakari Fofana
*
Amara Morikè Kallé
Amara Dit Morikè Kallé (born 19 September 1990 in Bamako) is a Malian football (soccer) defender, who plays for AJ Auxerre.
Career
Kallé began his career with AS Real Bamako and was in July 2008 transferred to AJ Auxerre.
International c ...
*
Ibrahim Kante
Ibrahim Kanté (born July 20, 1981, in Bamako) is a Malian soccer player, a member of the Missouri Comets, a MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) team.
Career
Kante made two appearances as a rookie in 2003 with New England Revolution of Major Lea ...
*
Salif Keita
Salif Keïta () (born 25 August 1949) is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali.
Biography Early life
Salif Keita was born a traditional prince in the village o ...
*
Makan Konaté
Makan Konatè (born 10 November 1991) is a Malian professional football (soccer), footballer who plays as an Midfielder#Attacking midfielder, attacking midfielder for Liga 1 (Indonesia), Liga 1 club RANS Nusantara F.C., RANS Nusantara.
Club car ...
*
Amadou Konte
*
Seydou Badian Kouyaté
Seydou Badian Kouyaté (April 10, 1928 – December 28, 2018) was a Malian writer and politician. He wrote the lyrics to the Malian national anthem, "Le Mali".
Early life and education
Born in Bamako, Kouyaté studied medicine at the University ...
*
Abdoulaye Maïga
*
Hamchétou Maïga
Hamchétou Maïga-Ba (born 25 April 1978 in Bamako) is a Malian professional women's basketball player most recently with the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. She is also a member of the Mali women's national basketball team.
At Old Dominion
Maïga ...
*
Modibo Maiga Modibo or more correctlyMoodibbo in Fula or Fulfulde Orthography is a given name in some Fulɓe or Fulani regions, while in some regions it's used as a form of respect which means a learned scholar. Others are named moodibbo after one's parents or g ...
*
Aya Nakamura
Aya Coco Danioko (; born 10 May 1995), known by her stage name Aya Nakamura ( ), is a Malians in France, French-Malian pop singer. She is best known for her hit song "Djadja (song), Djadja".
She was born in Bamako, Mali and Immigration to Franc ...
*
Amadou Sidibé
*
Malick Sidibé
Malick Sidibé (1935 – 14 April 2016) was a Malian photographer noted for his black-and-white studies of popular culture in the 1960s in Bamako. Sidibé had a long and fruitful career as a photographer in Bamako, Mali, and was a well-known fig ...
*
Noé Sissoko
*
Bakary Soumaré
Bakary Soumaré (born 9 November 1985) is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a defender. He played professionally in the United States, France, Germany and Canada, and earned twelve caps for the Mali national team.
Early li ...
*
Tidiani (Jeff) Tall
*
Jean Tigana
Amadou Jean Tigana (born 23 June 1955) is a French former footballer and coach. He has played in midfield and managed professional football extensively throughout France, including 52 appearances and one goal for the France national football team ...
*
Meiya Tireira
*
Ali Farka Touré
Ali Ibrahim "Ali Farka" Touré (31 October 1939 – 6 March 2006) was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music blends traditional Malian music and its deriv ...
*
Almamy Toure
*
Sidi Touré
*
Dramane Traoré
Dramane Traoré (born 17 June 1982) is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He made 30 appearances scoring 7 goals for the Mali national team.
International career
Traoré was a regular for the Mali national tea ...
Gallery
File:Monument de l'hospitalité Bamako Mali.JPG, Monument de l'hospitalité
File:Bamako_Entrance_Arch.jpg, Bamako airport road welcome sign
File:Place de la liberté - Bamako.jpg, Place de la liberté
File:Monument Al Quoods - Bamako.jpg, Al Quoods Monument
File:L'obélisque des idéogrammes, Hamdallaye - Bamako.jpg, Hamdallaye obelisk
File:Gustave Borgnis-Desbordes - Statue place des explorateurs - Koulouba - Bamako.jpg, Statue of Gustave Borgnis-Desbordes
Gustave Borgnis-Desbordes (22 October 1839 – 18 July 1900) was a French general. He was a major figure in the French Imperial conquest of the French Sudan, modern Mali. He was ''Commandant-Superior'' of the French Military Territory of Haut- ...
File:Pyramide du souvenir - Bamako.jpg, Pyramide du souvenir
Twin towns and sister cities
Bamako is
twinned with:
*
Angers
Angers (, , ) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Anjou until the French Revolution. The inhabitants of both the city and the prov ...
, France (1974)
*
Ashgabat
Ashgabat or Asgabat ( tk, Aşgabat, ; fa, عشقآباد, translit='Ešqābād, formerly named Poltoratsk ( rus, Полтора́цк, p=pəltɐˈratsk) between 1919 and 1927), is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies ...
, Turkmenistan (1974)
*
Bobo-Dioulasso
Bobo-Dioulasso is a city in Burkina Faso with a population of 904,920 (); it is the second-largest city in the country, after Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso's capital. The name means "home of the Bobo-Dioula".
The local Bobo-speaking population (re ...
, Burkina Faso (1994)
*
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
, France (1999)
*
Dakar
Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital and largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 3.94 million in 2 ...
, Senegal (1973)
*
Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
, mapsize =
, map_caption ...
, Mauritania
*
Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
, United States (1975)
See also
*
Railway stations in Mali
Railway stations in Mali include:
Maps
UN MapUNUNHCR Map Cities and Towns served by rail
Existing
* Dakar, Senegal - port
* Tambacounda, Senegal (24m)
* Goudiry (57m)
* Kidira, Senegal (35m) - Mali border.
* Kayes, Mali (20m)
* Bafoul ...
*
List of cities in Mali
This list of cities in Mali tabulates all the largest communes in the country of Mali (including those in the north-eastern portion where the Mali Government no longer exercises de facto control). Besides the largest cities and towns (all urb ...
References
* Pascal James Imperato. Historical Dictionary of Mali. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ – London (1986)
* Ross Velton. Mali: The Bradt Travel Guide. Guilford, Connecticut: Globe Pequot Press, 2000.
Bibliography
External links
Bamako-culture.org (French language)
{{Authority control
Cercles of Mali
Capitals in Africa
Capital districts and territories
Communities on the Niger River