Bamako

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Bamako, Mali
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image_caption = View of Bamako


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map_caption = Bamako within Mali

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map_caption1 = Bamako district
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = Mali
subdivision_type1 = District
subdivision_name1 = Bamako
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population_as_of =2006
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population_total =1,690,471
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latd=12|latm=39 |lats= |latNS=N
longd=8 |longm=0 |longs= |longEW=W
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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) [ [http://www.citymayors.com/statistics/urban_growth1.html World's fastest growing cities and urban areas from 2006 to 2020] , by CityMayors.com] . 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 coord|12|39|N|8|0|W|. [ [http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.html GEOnet Names Server (GNS)] , by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency] The name "Bamako" comes from the Bambara word meaning "crocodile's back". [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00F10FD3B5B137A93C1A91782D85F448685F9 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]

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

Layout of the city

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 [ [http://www.maliweb.net/category.php?NID=18466 Construction du 3e Pont de Bamako : Maliens et Chinois d'accord sur les aspects techniques du projet] ] 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

*flagicon|France Angers, France (since MQ 1974)
*flagicon|Burkina Faso Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
*flagicon|Senegal Dakar, Senegal
*flagicon|Germany Leipzig, Germany
*flagicon|United States Rochester, New York, USA (since 1975)
*flagicon|Brazil São Paulo, Brazil
*flagicon|Indonesia Sinyar, Indonesia

References

* 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.

External links

* [http://www.bamako-culture.org/ Bamako-culture.org (French language)]
* [http://www.cites.tv/citesdumonde/destinations.php?idDest=11 Bamako at "Cités du Monde" (French language)]
* [http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/bamako.html The Bamako Appeal]
* [http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/travel/02mali.html?ex=1144641600&en=5d9d61a127019b74&ei=5070&emc=eta1/ Mali Music Scene article in the New York Times]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/travel/02music.html/ Music samples article in the New York times]
* [http://rootsyrecords.com/HtmlFiles/djembevideo.htm Drumming Videos Shot in Bamako]
* [http://www.budapestbamako.org Budapest-Bamako]
*Pictures of [http://web.mac.com/dwb217/iWeb/WorldViewBender/Bamako.html Bamako]
* [http://www.angersloiretourisme.com/en/ The official website of Angers Tourist Information Centre]
* [http://www.palaiscultureahb.net/ The official website of le Palais de La Culture Amadou Hampaté Ba]