BamakoCapital
Mali · Country profile
Bamako is the riverside capital of Mali, a fast-growing West African city that spreads across both banks of the Niger River, the wide, lazy waterway that gives the city its life, its commerce and its famous bridges. It is the cultural heart of the whole region of the Sahel, the city of the great musicians of the Wassoulou and the kora, of the galleries of the bogolan fabric and of the National Museum with its superb collection of the art of the West African empires. The great market of the city, the mosque on the hill and the jam-packed streets of the centre buzz with the trade of the surrounding countries, while the craft villages and the hippo pools of the river make the day trips of the capital. Unfiltered, musical and astonishingly alive, Bamako is the beating heart of the country of the desert edge.
About Bamako
Bamako is the capital of Mali. The city's documented population is around 2,009,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF) and French is spoken; the dialling code is +223.
The City of the Bridge on the Sweeping Niger
Bamako is a gritty, vivid and deeply musical capital, spread along the Niger with its trade, its markets and its world-class museum culture. The itinerary of the days crosses the bridges between the banks, visits the great market, the craftsmen of the wax print and the studios of the musicians, and pushes out to the village of the grottoes, the hippo viewing and the living rock art of the nearby hills. The city is hot, noisy and traffic-heavy, and a good local driver and a calm attitude make the difference. It is the essential, unmissable doorstep to the wonders of the Dogon country and the desert trade of the Sahel.
The Kind Months, the CFA Franc and the Driving of the Midday
The heat rules the calendar, with the fierce dry season from February to June and the swelling rains and turning air of the green season; the November to January window is the kindest for the desert travel. The CFA franc is the currency, the French and the Bambara the languages, and the cash is essential beyond the hotels. The security of the region requires the careful current advice, a reputable local operator and the limited movement outside the capital, while inside the city the essentials are the museums, the market, the riverside hotels and the evening music of the bars. The dress stays modest and the water plentiful in the heat.
The National Museum, the River Market and the Music of the Night
The National Museum of Mali, on the museum hill of the city, is one of the great museums of the continent, with the masks, the statues and the textiles of the empires of the region. The great market of the capital and the specialist markets of the fabrics, the gold and the goat skins run the trade of the city, and the musicians and the galleries of the local painters, especially in the studio district of the south bank, give Bamako its famous cultural edge. The boat trips of the river, the craft villages of the coast edge and the hippo pools of the nearby lakes complete the adventures, while the night concerts of the great halls hold the spirit of the capital of the music of the Sahel.
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- Country
- Mali
- Population
- 2,009,000
- Capital
- Bamako
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +223
- Country code
- ML
Frequently asked questions
Is Bamako the capital of Mali?
Yes — Bamako is the capital of Mali.
What currency do I need in Bamako?
The local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF). Languages spoken in Mali include French.
What is the dialling code for Mali?
The international dialling code for Mali is +223.
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