Kao (Niger)

Region

Kao (also: Kaou ) is a rural municipality in the Department Tchintabaraden in Niger.

Geography

Kao is located in the Sahel. The neighboring municipalities are Tchintabaraden in the north, Abalak in the northeast, Akoubounou in the east, in the southeast Tabalak, Kalfou in the south, Barmou the southwest, Affala in the west and Tillia in the northwest. The municipality is divided into 37 administrative villages, 23 traditional villages, 28 hamlets, seven warehouses and eight water points. The main town of the rural community is the administrative village Kao (also: Kaou ).

The climate in Kao is hot and dry. The average annual rainfall is between 250 and 300 mm. Around two thirds of its territory, which are covered by the grass species Cenchrus biflorus are used as pasture.

History

The place Kao was founded in 1939. The term Kao or Kaou is a short form of the name of its founder. The rural community Kao was born as an administrative unit in 2002 as part of a nationwide administrative reform in a previously unincorporated area. The hunger crisis in Niger in 2005 Kao was one of the most affected places. Here the population had less than one meal a day. The population suffers from chronic food shortages.

Population

At the 2001 census, Kao had 32,083 inhabitants. For the year 2010 43.228 inhabitants were calculated. In the rural community of Hausa, Tuareg and Fulani live.

Policy

In the local elections in July 2004 Amadou Atchi ( PNDS - Tarayya ) was elected mayor.

Economy and infrastructure

Kao is located on the National Road 22, which connects the village to the neighboring town Tchintabaraden. The weekly market in the main town Kao was founded in 1962. Market day is Wednesday. The handicraft products produced mainly by women such as wicker and leather goods may be due to the remoteness of the rural community just poorly marketed. The inadequate pastures lead to social conflicts between farmers and pastoralists.