Bamako
Capital and port of Mali, lying on the upper Niger River, in the southwest of the country; population (2001 est) 947,100. As a major river port, it is vital to the economy of a landlocked country. Industries include ceramics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, textiles, farm machinery, batteries, river fishing, and food and tobacco processing.
History
Bamako was noted as a centre for Islamic studies in the Mali empire of medieval times, but had declined to the size of a village by the time of French colonization in 1880. Regrowth of the city was stimulated by the opening of the railway to Dakar in 1904 and by its designation as the capital of French Sudan in 1905. When the country became independent in 1960, Bamako remained the capital.
Features Bamako is the home of colleges of medicine, dentistry, engineering, teacher training, and administration. It has botanical and zoological gardens, and notable buildings include the Grand Mosque, the National Malian Museum, and the BCEAO Tower. It also has an international airport and is linked by rail to the port of Dakar in Senegal on the Atlantic coast. |
