Bamako

Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali, a country in Africa. In 2022, about 4,227,569 people lived there. The city sits on the Niger River, close to where the river changes its course. This special location helps Bamako be an important place for trade and travel.

As the administrative centre of Mali, Bamako helps manage the country’s government. The city is its own special district, separate from the surrounding areas. It has seven parts called communes. Near Bamako, in a place called Koulikoro, there is a river port that helps ships come and go. This makes Bamako a key spot for business in West Africa.

Bamako has grown a lot in recent years. New buildings, shopping places, and other projects have been built to make life better for people living there. The city is home to important places like the University of Bamako, the National Museum of Mali, the Mali National Zoo, and the Grand Mosque of Bamako. It is also where the Modibbo Keita International Airport is located. The buildings in Bamako have their own special style that makes the city unique.

History

See also: Timeline of Bamako

People have lived in the area of Bamako since very old times. The land near the Niger River gave people plenty of food, and early leaders became rich by setting up trade paths across West Africa, the Sahara, and even to Europe as far back as 600s BCE. Valuable items like gold, ivory, kola nuts, and salt were traded. By the 11th century, the Empire of Ghana ruled the area, and later the Mali Empire took over.

Bamako as a city began around 1650. A famous explorer, Mungo Park, visited in 1806 and thought about 6,000 people lived there then.

In 1960, Mali became independent from France, and Bamako became its capital. The city grew quickly, especially after railroads were built connecting it to other places.

Unfortunately, Bamako has faced difficult times, including protests and conflicts. In recent years, the city has been affected by safety concerns from groups that want to cause harm.

Geography

Bamako is located on the Niger River floodplain, which makes building along the river difficult. The city is mostly flat, except for an area to the north where an old volcano used to be. Important buildings like the Presidential Palace and the main hospital are found there.

Bamako started on the north side of the river, but as it grew, bridges were built to connect both sides. The first bridge was the Pont des Martyrs, followed by the King Fahd Bridge. There is also a path that can be used during dry seasons between two neighborhoods. A newer, bigger bridge was completed in 2011 to help with traffic, especially for trucks.

Climate

Bamako has a tropical savanna climate. It is very hot most of the year, especially from March to May. The cooler months are from November to February. There is little rain from November to April, but the rainy season comes in the summer, from June to October.

Environment

Waste Management Controversy

In 2015, the city of Bamako changed how waste was collected. Before this change, local groups handled waste collection. After the change, many waste collectors lost their jobs, and the new system collected only 30% of the city’s waste. This caused a lot of garbage to pile up, making living conditions difficult, especially during rainy weather. Because of this problem, people in Bamako have protested and sometimes damaged property.

Administration

The District of Bamako is split into six areas, called communes, each with its own local government led by a mayor. These areas were set up in 1978 and changed a little in 1982.

Each commune has its own neighborhoods. Commune I has 335,407 people and covers 35 square kilometres. It is bordered by other areas and the Niger River, and includes nine neighborhoods. Commune II has 159,805 people and covers 18.3 square kilometres. It is bordered by the Niger River and includes eleven neighborhoods, and it is an important area for industry. Commune III has 128,872 people and covers 20.7 square kilometres. It is the main administrative and commercial area of Bamako, with many markets. Commune IV has 300,085 people and covers 42 square kilometres. It includes eight neighborhoods. Commune V has 414,668 people and covers 42 square kilometres. It includes eight neighborhoods and is near the airport. Commune VI is the largest, with 470,269 people and 87 square kilometres, and includes ten neighborhoods.

Bamako has many neighborhoods in total, including places like ACI-2000, Hippodrome, and Quartier Mali.

Economy

Industry

Bamako is where most of the country's factories and businesses are located. The city is busy with services, crafts, and trade. The old market area is crowded, dirty, and costly, but the city is growing quickly, especially south of the river. A new business area is forming west of the city center, and many government offices are being built there. Big companies and important offices have their main places in Bamako. Air Mali has its main office here. Saudi Arabia has helped build many important buildings in Bamako, and more recently, China has also invested in the city's facilities.

Energy

Bamako gets much of its electricity from a big dam called the Sélingué Dam. The city’s water comes from the Niger River, but there isn’t enough water during the very hot months. This causes water shortages. A new water station was planned to open in 2009.

Architecture

The BCEAO Tower is the tallest building in West Africa, standing 20 stories high. It is located in the center of Bamako, on the north side of the Niger River. This tower serves as the Malian headquarters for the Central Bank of West African States, which helps with banking and money matters for several Francophone countries in West Africa. The design of the building is inspired by the old styles of Djenne and Timbuktu.

Nearby, the Cité Administrative is a group of government buildings. Construction started in 2003 and was finished in 2010. It now holds many important offices for the government.

Demographics

Bamako has grown very quickly over the years. In 1884, only 2,500 people lived there. By 1960, that number had grown to 100,000. Today, more than 4 million people call Bamako home, according to the 2022 count. Many people move to the city looking for jobs.

This fast growth has made it hard for the city to keep up with needs like clean water, traffic, and keeping things clean. Bamako is home to many different groups of people from Mali and nearby countries.

Culture

The National Library of Mali began in 1944 under French rule and later became a public place to read and borrow books and other materials. It moved to a new place in Bamako in 1968 and now holds over 60,000 items, including books, videos, and music.

The National Museum of Mali shows artifacts and stories from Mali’s past, including music, clothing, and art from different groups of people. It opened in 1953 and has grown to become an important place for Malian culture. The museum also features works by local artists and sometimes hosts a photography festival called the African Photography Encounters.

Bamako has many other interesting places, such as museums, gardens, monuments, and a hill with old rock paintings. The city has also been a meeting place for important health discussions and racing events.

Music

In the 1990s, Bamako became famous for its music thanks to artists like Salif Keita and Ali Farka Touré. Their success brought more musicians and visitors to the city, and you can often hear traditional music being played in the streets.

Education

In 2011, four new universities opened in Bamako: the University of Social Sciences and Management, the University of Humanities and Social Sciences, the University of Science, Technology and Technologies, and the University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako.

In 1972, a special school and center was created to support children and adults who are blind or have limited vision, called the Union Malienne Des Aveugles.

Places of worship

Bamako has many important buildings where people gather to practice their faith. Some of these buildings belong to different religious groups.

Most of the places of worship in Bamako are for people who follow the Muslim faith, and many are mosques. There are also churches and temples for Christians, including the Sacred Heart Cathedral, which is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bamako. Other Christian groups also have places to meet, such as the Église Chrétienne Évangélique du Mali and the Assemblies of God. One well-known mosque is the Eyoub Mosque.

Transport

The Dakar-Niger Railway connects Bamako to Dakar through places like Kati, Négala, Kita, and Kayes. There are plans for a rail link to San-Pédro in Ivory Coast.

Roads link Bamako to Koulikoro, Kati, Kolokani, Ségou, and Sikasso. The Bamako-Sénou International Airport is about 15 kilometres (9 miles) from the city and began serving passengers in 1974. The number of passengers has grown each year.

Bamako sits on both sides of the Niger River, and three bridges connect the two sides. These include the Bridge of Martyrs, the King Fahd Bridge, and a bridge funded by the People’s Republic of China.

Healthcare

The Point G hospital in Bamako was built between 1906 and 1913. It covers a large area and was once a military hospital before becoming a civilian one.

Another important hospital in Bamako is the Gabriel Touré Hospital, established in 1959. A new hospital was planned in 2008 to help support more patients, with special rooms for children and mothers, as well as areas for different kinds of medical care. This new hospital is supported by investment from China.

In popular culture

Bamako has been featured in books and films, including Bamako, directed by Abderrahmane Sissako. The film shows a trial happening in the city while people go about their daily lives. The story explores questions about money and fairness in some African countries. The movie first showed at the Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2006, and later in Manhattan by New Yorker Films on February 14, 2007. It also won an award at the Istanbul International Film Festival in April 2007.

Bamako was also one of the cities shown in the educational computer game Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? from the 1980s.

Notable people

Bamako is home to many well-known people from different fields. Some of these individuals include musicians, artists, and leaders who have made their mark in their communities and beyond. The city has been a place where many talented individuals have grown up and achieved success in various areas.

The following people are some of the notable individuals associated with Bamako:

• Tiken Jah Fakoly
• Amadou & Mariam
• Sangaré Niamoto Ba
• Ousmane Cisse
• Souleymane Cissé
• Aicha Coulibaly
• Idrissa Coulibaly
• Mohamed Coulibaly
• N'Faly Dante
• Massa Makan Diabaté
• Sidy Fassara Diabaté
• Drissa Diakite
• Mahamadou Diarra
• Drissa Diarra
• Moké Diarra
• Lamine Diawara
• Nare Diawara
• Yaya Dissa
• Adama Drabo
• Bakari Fofana
• Amara Morikè Kallé
• Ibrahim Kante
• Salif Keita
• Makan Konaté
• Sika Koné
• Amadou Konte
• Seydou Badian Kouyaté
• Abdoulaye Maïga
• Hamchétou Maïga
• Modibo Maiga
• Aya Nakamura
• Alpha Yaya Sangaré
• Adama Sanogo
• Amadou Sidibé
• Malick Sidibé
• Noé Sissoko
• Bakary Soumaré
• Tidiani (Jeff) Tall
• Jean Tigana
• Meiya Tireira
• Ali Farka Touré
• Almamy Toure
• Sidi Touré
• Dramane Traoré

Twin towns and sister cities

Bamako has friendly city partnerships with places in other countries. These include:

• Angers in France since 1974
• Ashgabat in Turkmenistan since 1974
• Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso since 1994
• Bordeaux in France since 1999
• Dakar in Senegal since 1973
• Nouakchott in Mauritania
• Rochester in the United States since 1975