Ségou
|
Location of Ségou in Mali |
Ségou or
Segu is a
city in
Mali, lying 146 miles northeast of
Bamako on the
River Niger, in the
region of Ségou. It was founded by the
Bozo people in
1620, on a site about 10 kilometers from the present town. With 100,000 inhabitants, it is the third largest city in Mali. Its geographic coordinates are 13°27'00" North, 6°16'00" West.
The city prospered after
Biton Mamary Coulibaly became king in
1712 and founded the
Ségou (or Bamana) Empire. The empire gradually declined and was conquered by
El Hadj Umar Tall's
Toucouleur Empire in
1861, then by the
French Army Colonel
Louis Archinard in
1892.
Today, Ségou is known for its
pottery, its
market and its
fishing industry. Attractions in the old town of
Ségou-Koro included a
mosque, Coulibaly's tomb and an ancient tree. In the city center, the main landmark is the
water tower.
Notable people from Ségou include
Fanta Damba,
Garan Fabou Kouyate, and
Mountaga Tall.
Maryse Condé's
historical novel Segu tells the city's history from 1797 to its 1861 defeat by the Toucouleur.
The
Cercle of Ségou includes the urban commune of Ségou and 29 rural communes (Pélengana, Sébougoubou, Konodimini, N'Gara, Massala, Sakoïba, Soignébougou, Cinzana, Samené, Dioro, Farakou-Massa, Kamiandougou, Diédougou, Koumandougou, Bellen, Baguidadougou, Farako, Sama-Foulala, Souba, Digandougou, Katiéna ,Fatiné, Diouna, Markala, Dougabougou, Togou, Boussin, Sansanding et Sibila) totaling 554 villages and neighborhoods.
The cercle's 469,219 residents include
Bambaras,
Peuls (Fulani),
Miniankas,
Bozos,
Somonos,
Dogons and
Soninkés.
