Bamako, population 646,163 (
1987), is the capital of
Mali. It is located on the
Niger River, in the southwestern part of the country. Bamako is the nation's administrative center, as well as a river port and a major regional trade center. Manufactures include
textiles, processed meat, and
metal goods. There is commercial
fishing on the Niger River. The city was a leading center of
Muslim learning under the Mali empire, but by the
19th century it had declined. In
1883 the region was occupied by
French troops, and in
1908, Bamako became the capital of the
French Sudan[?].
