Bafoulabé
Region
Bafoulabé is a city in the southwest of Mali, in the Kayes region. It is the capital of the district Bafoulabé, which in 1887 was the first Cercle in Mali.
Administrative structure
By 1996 Bafoulabé was the capital of an arrondissement. After a local government reform, the place is home to a " rural community " from 28 villages and at the same county seat of Bafoulabé.
Geography and climate
In Bafoulabé the Bafing and Bakoy flow together and form the river Senegal. In Bambara Bafoulabé means " meeting of two rivers ". Around 90 km south-east of Bafoulabé is located on the Bafing Manantalidamm. The dam and its reservoir, the Manantali Lake, are the respective largest dam and lake in Mali.
Extending on the banks of the Senegal, Bafoulabé is bounded on the north by the municipalities Tomora and Sidibéla, to the east by Kontéla Oualia and on the south by Mahina and to the west by Diamou. The climate is sahelisch. The rainy season from June to October brings less than 900 mm / m of rainfall per year. During the dry season there is a heat phase from February to June and a cooler period from November to February. The maximum temperature can reach 41 ° C in the shade.
Population and Culture
1998 Bafoulabé had a population of 16,670 and has, according to the census 2009 19 955 inhabitants. During the colonial period Bafoulabé was a thriving commercial center due to the construction of the Dakar - Bamako railway in the early 20th century. The city primarily inhabit Khassonké, Malinke, Soninke and Fulbe. A well-known former citizens of the city is Fily Dabo Sissoko, one of the founding fathers of Mali.