Bamako

Bamako is the capital of the Mali, on the river Niger, in the south-west of the country. In 2006, the city counted: 1690471 inhabitants (Bamakois). Its growth rate urban is currently highest of Africa (and 6th in the world). Bamako is the administrative center of the country, an important river port and a shopping mall for all the area around. The Bamako capital is set up in district and is subdivided in six communes directed by elected mayors. Adama Sangaré is the mayor of the district of Bamako.

History

The site of Bamako was occupied as of prehistory like confirmed it the archaeological excavations of Magnambougou.
Bamako, originally Bammâko (“backwater of the caiman” in language Bambara) founded at the end 16th century by Niaré was in the past called Niakate, which was sarakolés . Niaréla, the district of Niaré, is one of the oldest districts of Bamako.

At the end of the 19th century, Bamako is a large strengthened village of 600 inhabitants, when on February 1st 1883, the French, with Borgnis-Desbordes there pénètrent.
In 1895, it becomes chief town of circle before becoming capital High Senegal-Niger on October 17th 1899 then French Sudan in 1920. Between 1903 and 1907 is built the palate of Koulouba, palate of the governor then seat of the presidency of the Republic starting from independence in 1960.
In 1904, the line of Railroad of Dakar-Niger is inaugurated. In 1905, begins construction from the Hospital of the point G.

December 20th 1918, Bamako becomes a mixed commune directed by an administrator mayor.

In 1927 is built the cathedral. The House of the craftsmen is created in 1931. In 1947 a first bridge on the Niger is set up. The large mosque of Bamako is built in 1948.

November 18th 1955, Bamako becomes a commune of full exercise, its mayor, Modibo Keïta, is elected for the first time one year later, on November 16th, 1956. September 22nd 1960, the independence of Mali is proclaimed and Bamako becomes the capital of the new republic.

Demography and geography

Located on banks of the river Niger, called Djoliba (“the river of blood”), the town of Bamako is built in a basin surrounded by hills. It extends from west in is on 22 km and of north in the south on 12 km, for a surface of 267 km ².

Its increase in population is impressive: : 2500 inhabitants in 1884: 8000 inhabitants in 1908: 37000 inhabitants in 1945, close to: 100000 in 1960 at the time of the independence of Mali, the agglomeration hopes today more than to one million six hundred and thousand inhabitants and continuous to attract a rural population in search of work (certain experts speak about three million inhabitants in 2007 in Bamako). This uncontrolled increase involves important difficulties in terms of circulation, of hygiene (access to drinking water, cleansing), pollution…

Located at: 1000 kilometers of Dakar and Abidjan and with 120 kilometers of the border Guinea nne, Bamako became the crossroads of the West Africa and accommodates a varied population, made up of the various ethnos groups present at Mali but so resulting from the countries bordering.

Administration

The town of Bamako is divided into six communes having each one a town council and a mayor:
  • common 1: Common Fatoumata Doumbia Konté
  • 2: Common Gaoussou Ly
  • 3: Abdel Kader Sidibé
  • common 4: Iso A. Guindo
  • common 5: Demba Faded
  • common 6: Souleymane Dagnon.

Bamako is also set up in district with a mayor elected by the whole of the advisers. Adama Sangaré (ADEMA/PASJ) was elected mayor of the district of Bamako the 9 July 2007. It replaces Moussa Badoulaye Traoré, deceased the 6 June 2007.

Transport and economy

A railway line connects Bamako to Dakar while passing by Kati, Négala, Kita and Kayes.

The highway network makes it possible to go towards Koulikoro, Kati, Kolokani, Ségou, Sikasso. The International airport of Bamako-Sénou is located at 15 km of the downtown area and serves the principal capitals of the countries of the under-area but also of the remainder of Africa and Paris. Navigation on the Niger river is possible starting from Koulikoro towards Mopti and Gao.

A good part of transport is done either by the Niger river or by the tarred roads which connect Bamako to the pricipales big cities of area. The taxi-bush is one of the principal element of the Road transport Malian.

The town of Bamako is located of share at other of the River Niger. Two bridges connect two banks: the bridge of the martyrs (old bridge of Badalabougou completed in 1960 and renamed in memory of the killed demonstrators in March 1991 by the mode of Foamed Traoré) and the bridge of the king Fahd of Saudi Arabia, of the name of the basic financial backer. A roadway submarine is practicable apart from the rain season. A third bridge is currently in project, financed by the Popular republic of China. Located with height of Sotuba, it has like objective of unchoked circulation in the city.

Agriculture is limited primarily to the truck farming, fishing (in spite of the presence of fishermen Bozos) and the breeding are developed little.

The district of Bamako concentrates 70% of the industrial companies.

The tertiary sector is developed the most, in particular the craft industry (with in particular the Maison of the craftsmen) and the trade. But Bamako is also the seat of the large companies and the administrations of the Country.

The electricity, whose distribution is ensured by Énergie of Mali, comes from the hydroelectric Barrage of Sélingué.

The drinkable water supply in Bamako and Kati is ensured by a pumping station on the river Niger. However, capacity of: 135000 m of drinking water per day are insufficient to ensure the needs estimated at: 152000 m during the hot season between April and June. During this period, the districts located in height know frequent water cuts in the course of the day. A new pumping station must open with Kabala in 2009.

The hospital of the point G, built between 1906 and 1913, covers a surface of 25 hectares. Old military hospital, become civil hospital little before the independence of Mali, it is located on a hill overhanging Bamako, named by the French colonizer Point G

International relations

Bamako is the host many international demonstrations, like the Sommet Africa-France in 2005 or the Worldwide social forum which was held in Bamako from January 19th to 23rd 2006.

Twinning

Bamako is twinned with several cities:

Cooperation agreements are also signed with the French cities of Lyon, Marseilles and Bordeaux like with the capital of the Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou.

Culture

Monuments and sites

Bamako being the political and administrative Capital, the principal ministries are in the district of the River. The presidency of the Republic is installed in the Palate of Koulouba, located on a hill baptized by Bamakois “hill of the capacity”. This palate was built in 1908 to shelter the residence of the governor of the French Sudan during colonization. The National museum of Mali was built in 1979 by the architects Jean-Wolf Pivin and Pascal Martin Saint-Leon, in bank value stabilized while taking as a starting point the Sudanese style. He proposes several exposures starting from many material testimonys of the cultural life of the companies Malians: on the traditional and modern craft industry, daily life, the statuary, objects of worships or capacities… It emphasizes the contemporary arts: visual arts or photography, as well as a collection on prehistory with the Mali. In the vicinity a botanical garden presenting is the principal species characteristic as well as zoological gardens of 17 hectares.

The Maison of the craftsmen of Bamako brings together various craftsmen.

The pink Market is located in the middle of Bamako. Built during colonization, it was devastated by a fire in 1993 then rebuilt. It is the economic lung of the city, with the other large market, that of Médine.

The House of the craftsmen, built in 1933, is located near the large mosque. It gathers the various types of artisanal productions of the country (wood, gold, iron, leather…).

The town of Bamako is located of share at other of the River Niger. Two bridges connect two banks: the bridge of the martyrs (old bridge of Badalabougou completed in 1960 and renamed in memory of the killed demonstrators in March 1991 by the mode of Foamed Traoré) and the bridge of the king Fahd of Saudi Arabia, of the name of the basic financial backer. A roadway submarine is practicable apart from the rain season.

Cultural events

Bamako shelters various demonstrations of national and international width, like the African Rencontres of photography and the International festival of percussion of Bamako.

The Festival of realities is a festival of theater being held in Bamako in December.

This festival was created in 1996 by Adama Traoré, actor, director and professor of dramatic art at the National institute of Arts of Bamako. It is organized by association Malian Acte Seven . The Festival of the Theater of Realities develops, since the 2nd edition of the Festival in 1997, within the framework of a partnership with the Town of Angers. It became biennial since 2000. The 7th edition took place from December 10th to 17th 2004.

This theatrical festival proposes a multi-field opening with dance, music, visual arts. In addition to programming of quality with theatrical creations coming D `West Africa, it proposes public readings, conferences and training courses for the professionals.

The festival is anchored in realities of Africa of today (the topic of the 7th edition was “Women and stereotypes”). Its ambition is to support the meeting of the various cultural actors: artists, diffusers, public, media…

The first edition of the festival the voices of Bamako , organized by Kolomba association, will be held from February 2nd to 9th 2008 with the Palate of the Culture Tinder Hampathé Bâ. It has like objective the promotion of the tradition, the art and the culture of Mali and Africa

Cultural centres and museums

  • Arts center French * National library of Mali sheltering the African House of photography.
  • the museum of the woman.
  • the National museum of Mali (habits and the textile)
  • the archeological site and cave paintings.
  • the Academy of Arts and Métiers Multimedia Balled Fasseke Kouyaté is an establishment of higher education in the artistic fields: dance, music, visual art and multi-media. It is directed by Abdoulaye Konaté.

Sports

Several stages are built in Bamako: Stage Mamadou Konaté, general sports Stage Modibo Keïta, Stage Ouenzzin Coulibaly, Stage of March 26th.

The majority of these stages were increased and modernized for the Coupe of Africa of the footballing nations 2002 which took place in Mali.

The Stage Malian, the Djoliba AC and the Center Salif Keita are football clubs based in Bamako.

The Panafrican meeting is an athletics meeting which proceeds each year in Bamako.

Religion

90% of the population are Moslem, one meets has Bamako much schools Koranic and count more than 100 mosques.

Districts

Bamako counts 60 districts, among which:

  • ACI 2000,

  • Baco Djicoroni (“ behind the river ”), Badalabougou, Badiabougou, Badialan, Bagadadji, Bamako Coura, Banankabougou, Bankoni, Bolibana (“ the race is finished ”), Bougoudani, Boulkassombougou, Bozola (“ at the Bozos ”),
  • Daoudabougou, Dar Salam, Dianequela, Djélibougou (“ the district of the Griot S ”), Djicoroni, Dravéla
  • Faladié
  • Garatiguibougou,
  • Hamdallaye, Hippodrome
  • Kalaban, Kalaban Coura, Konatebougou, Kondianbougou, Korofina, Koulouba (“ the large hill ”, site of the Presidency)
  • Lafiabougou, Wearied,
  • Magnambougou, Médina Coura, Minkorobougou, Missira (“ district of the mosque ”), Moussabougou
  • Niamankoro, Niaréla
  • Ouolofobougou (“ the district of the Wolofs ”)
  • Point G (site of the hospital)
  • Quartier of the river, Quartier Mali, Quartier Niger, Quinzambougou (“ district of the “15 years” ”)
  • Sabalibougou, Sanfile (“ without wire ”), Sébénikoro, Senou, Sogoniko, Sokorodji, Sotuba
  • Titibougou, Tomikorobougou, Torokorobougou,
  • Yamakoro, Yirimadio

Homonymy

Famous characters

External bonds

  • Official site of the city
  • Quoted of the world Bamako
  • Nicolas Rémy-Thomas, urban Growth and modification of the environment Tallies of sub-Saharan life of the townsmen enAfric the example of Bamako, Master's paper presented with the University of Provence 1994/1995.
  • Bamako, city of the world with TV5

References

Be-X-old: Бамака Simple: Bamako

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