Kayes Region facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kayes Region
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Region
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Sahel forest
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Location within Mali
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| Country |  Mali |
| Capital | Kayes |
| Area | |
| • Total | 119,743 km2 (46,233 sq mi) |
| Population
(2009 census)
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| • Total | 1,996,812 |
| • Density | 16.67581/km2 (43.19016/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (UTC) |
| HDI (2017) | 0.387 low |
Kayes Region is one of eight first level national subdivisions in Mali called “Regions”. It is the first administrative area of Mali and covers an area of 120,760 square kilometres or 46,630 square miles. Its capital is the town of Kayes. The province was historically part of the Ghana Empire and the Mali Empire.
Contents
Geography
In 2009 the region has a population of 1,996,812 inhabitants. Ethnic groups of the area include Soninkés, Khassonkés, Malinkés, Dialonkés, and Fulas.
Several rivers cross the region: the Baoulé, the Bafing, and the Bakoy which join at the town of Bafoulabé to form the Sénégal River. At the Guinean border, the climate is rather wet, but becomes Sudanian and later Sahelian to the north.
The largest cities in the region are Kayes, Kita, Bafoulabé, Nioro du Sahel, Diéma, Yélimané, Sadiola, and Kéniéba. The Bafing National Park and the Boucle du Baoulé National Park are located in the region.
History
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The region of Kayes is the cradle of the Kingdom of Khasso founded at the beginning of the 19th century.
In 1855, Louis Faidherbe, Governor of Senegal, built a fort at Medina which would be besieged by El Hadj Omar Tall, in an 1857 war against the sovereign of Khasso. In 1892, the town of Kayes became the capital of French Sudan.
The construction of the railway line of Dakar-Niger, inaugurated in 1904, made of Kayes a city-crossroads. Essential at the time, the railroad had an important place in the lives of the inhabitants.
Images for kids
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Kayes Region. Unpaved roads are shown by dashed lines. The borders of the Boucle du Baoulé National Park are approximate.
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Cercles of Kayes Region
See also
In Spanish: Región de Kayes para niños
