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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, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. 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 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, along with a major regional trade and conference center. Bamako is the seventh-largest West African urban center after Lagos, Abidjan, Kano, Ibadan, Dakar, 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 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, ivory,
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 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, 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. 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 investment and influence. However, the economy declined as state enterprises collapsed and unrest was widespread. Eventually, Moussa Traoré 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 (''Congrès National d'Initiative démocratique'', CNID) was set up by the lawyer Mountaga Tall, and the Alliance for Democracy in Mali (''Alliance pour la démocratie au Mali'', ADEMA) by Abdramane Baba and historian Alpha Oumar Konaré. 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 National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...
(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. Alpha Oumar Konari officially became president on 26 April 1992. On 20 November 2015, two gunmen took 170 people hostage in the Radisson Blu 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

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 is found, 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 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 Bambara (Arabic script: ), also known as Bamana (N'Ko script: ) or Bamanankan (), is a lingua franca and national language of Mali spoken by perhaps 15 million people, natively by 5 million Bambara people and about 10 million second-language us ...
) 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, Bamako features a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen ''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 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 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. Until ...
), 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 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 Farako may refer to: *Farako, Ségou Farako is a small town and rural commune in the Cercle of Ségou in the Ségou Region of southern-central Mali. The commune lies on the north bank of the Niger River and contains 11 settlements in an area of ...
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, 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 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. 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 Miller ...
fisherman, and it is common to see cattle crossing the streets.


Energy

Much of the electricity is generated from the hydroelectric Sélingué Dam. 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

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, 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 nations. Classified as Neo-Sudanic architecture, it is modeled on the Sudano-Sahelian architecture of the famous mosques of Djenne and Timbuktu. 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

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 IFAN (I.F.A.N., Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire or Fundamental Institute of Black Africa) is a cultural and scientific institute in the nations of the former French West Africa. Founded in Dakar, Senegal in 1938 as the Institut français d ...
, 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 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 (I.F.A.N., Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire or Fundamental Institute of Black Africa) is a cultural and scientific institute in the nations of the former French West Africa. Founded in Dakar, Senegal in 1938 as the Institut français d ...
(IFAN) under Théodore Monod. 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 Yuriy Shumovskyi ( uk, Юрій Шумовський) was a famous Ukrainian archaeologist and priest. He was born in 1908 in the village of Myrohoshcha, Dubno district, Volhynian Governorate, Russian Empire (now Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Ук ...
. 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 cemented structure, created by architect Jean-Loup Pivin from traditional Malian designs. Since the 1996 election of former archaeologist Alpha Oumar Konaré 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 Muso may refer to: * Muso (InuYasha), a character in the manga and anime series ''InuYasha'' * Muso, a Thai exonym for the Lahu people * Muso Health, nonprofit organisation in Mali * Sello Muso (born 1986), footballer from Lesotho See also * ...
, 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, 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 Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...
hill, containing caves with rock paintings. In 1988, Bamako was the location of a WHO 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 rally has the endpoint in Bamako, with the Dakar Rally often passing through Bamako.


Music

A music boom in Bamako took off in the 1990s, when vocalist Salif Keita 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 A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ro ...
(USSGB), the
University of Humanities and Social Sciences of Bamako A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ro ...
(ULSHB), the
University of Science, Technology and Technologies of Bamako A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ro ...
(USTTB) and the
University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ro ...
(USJPB). In 1972, the
Union Malienne Des Aveugles Union Malienne Des Aveugles (UMAV) is an institute for the blind in Mali. It consists of a primary school, secondary school, optical clinic, opticians, vocational workshops, a sound library and recreational area and plans for a college are unde ...
, 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, 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 Archdiocesan See for the Ecclesiastical province which covers all and only Mali, yet depends on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The cathedral archiepiscopal seat ...
( Catholic Church), Église Chrétienne Évangélique du Mali ( Alliance World Fellowship),
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 The Eyoub Mosque (french: Mosquée de Eyoub) is a mosque in Hamdallaye Aci, Bamako, Mali. History The mosque was constructed with a cost of XOF2 billion which was fully funded by the Government of Turkey. The construction started in 2012 and c ...


Transport

The Dakar-Niger Railway links Bamako to Dakar 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. 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, 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, and Sikasso. The Bamako-Sénou International Airport 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,
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, Sikasso,
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. 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, 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 and died in 1935 after having been contaminated by a patient with the pneumonic plague. 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'', directed by Abderrahmane Sissako. 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 and International Monetary Fund, 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 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 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 *
Sangaré Niamoto Ba Sangaré Niamoto Ba (born 22 April 1955) was a Malian minister and politician. Life Ba was born in Bamako in 1955. She went to Cheikh Anta Diop University Cheikh Anta Diop University (french: Université Cheikh Anta Diop or UCAD), also known as ...
* Ousmane Cisse * 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 Sidy Fassara Diabaté (born 1950) is a Malian film director. Biography Born in Bamako, Diabaté attended Bamako High School. He furthered his studies at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Bamako and graduated in 1974. Diabaté was a history and ge ...
*
Drissa Diakite Vierchniadzvinsk ( be, Верхнядзві́нск, lt, Drisa, pl, Dryssa) or Verkhnedvinsk (russian: Верхнедви́нск) is a city in Belarus in the northwest of Vitebsk Region; it is the administrative center of the Verkhnyadzvinsk Ra ...
* Mahamadou Diarra * Drissa Diarra *
Moké Diarra Abdichi-Moké Diarra (born 12 November 1983) is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Career Diarra was born in Bamako, Mali. In May 2011, he trialled wth RC Strasbourg Alsace Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace ...
*
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 Nare Diawara (born 22 January 1983, in Bamako) is a Malian professional women's basketball center, formerly with the WNBA's San Antonio Stars. Diawara was drafted in the third round (30th overall) of the 2007 WNBA draft. She played collegiatel ...
* Yaya Dissa *
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 Bakari Fofana (born December 20, 1962 in Bamako, Mali) is a former footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American f ...
*
Amara Morikè Kallé Amara Dit Morikè Kallé (born 19 September 1990 in Bamako) is a Malian football (soccer) Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet ...
*
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 * Makan Konaté *
Amadou Konte Amadou Konte (born 13 January 1981 in Bamako) is a Malian-French former footballer. Career Konte started his career in the football academy of French side RC Strasbourg before moving to Portuguese club FC Porto. He did not make a first team ...
*
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 *
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 *
Amadou Sidibé Amadou Sidibé (born 19 February 1986) is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a left-back. Club career Born in Bamako, Mali, Sidibé began his career at his local club, Cercle Olympique de Bamako. In 2008, he transferred to A ...
* Malick Sidibé *
Noé Sissoko Noé Sissoko (born 2 June 1983 in Bamako, Mali) is a Malian footballer playing as a midfielder for Dreux, and has also played in Football League for Notts County. He is the brother of Mali international footballer Mohamed Sissoko and Abdoulwhaid ...
*
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 Tidiani Tall, also commonly referred to as Jeff Tall (born May 25, 1969 in Bamako, Mali) is the author of ''Fixing Africa: Once and for All'' and is an African business leader, public speaker and entrepreneur. Personal Tall grew up in Bamako, Ma ...
* Jean Tigana *
Meiya Tireira Meiya Tireira (born 15 April 1986) is a Malian women's basketball player for Valencia Basket (women), Valencia Basket in the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto, Spanish Women's League. A member of the Mali women's national basketball team, Tireira compet ...
*
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 Almami ( ar, المامي; Also: Almamy, Almaami) was the regnal title of Tukulor monarchs from the eighteenth century through the first half of the twentieth century. It is derived from the Arabic Al-Imam, meaning "the leader", and it has since ...
*
Sidi Touré Sidi Touré (born 1959, Gao, Mali) is a singer/songwriter from Bamako, Mali. His music is a type of songhaï blues. He started his career in the Sonhaï Stars, a regional orchestra. In 1984 he won the award of best singer with a song of his own ha ...
*
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, France (1974) * Ashgabat, 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, France (1999) * Dakar, Senegal (1973) * Nouakchott, Mauritania * Rochester, 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


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