Kangaba | |
|---|---|
 Location of Kangaba Cercle inMali | |
| Country | Mali |
| Region | Koulikoro Region |
| Capital | Kangaba |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,500 km2 (2,100 sq mi) |
| Population (2009 census)[2] | |
• Total | 100,720 |
| • Density | 18/km2 (47/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
TheKangaba Cercle is an administrative subdivision of theKoulikoro Region ofMali. Its seat is the town and commune ofBenkadi Habaladougou (Kenieba), also known asKangaba. It lies at the southwest corner of the region, along theGuinean border, with theNiger River forming its southern edge.
The Kangaba Cercle is the smallest cercle in the Koulikoro Region, both in surface area and population. It is divided into ninecommunes.[3]
The Kangaba Cercle is home to primarilyMalinké farmers, and formed part of the precolonialMali Empire as well as (first) theGhana andMali Empires back to the 8th century.
It was the center of Kangaba Province of the Mali Empire, and for a period after 1559, was the capital of the empire. In 1599 it became the last center forMansa Mahmud IV after his defeat atDjenné, and a Kangaba city state survived after the empire's fall in 1610. Prior to the Mali Empire, the Manden city-state of Ka-ba (present-day Kangaba) served as the capital and name of this province. From at least the beginning of the 11th century, Mandinka kings known asfaamas ruled Manden from Ka-ba in the name of the Ghanas.[4]Sundiata Keita began his revolt against the remnants of the Ghana Empire there, and it remained the heartland of the Mali state.
The town of Habaladougou Kenieba remains an important Malinké cultural center and home to their sacredKamablo house, traditionally rebuilt every seven years.
The Cercle falls in the more fertileSudan climate region, and forms some of the best farmland in the nation, much devoted totobacco farming for export.
Artisanal mining has become more common in recent years due to growing demand for metals and rising prices.[5]
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link).| Kayes Region |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Koulikoro Region | ||
| Sikasso Region | ||
| Ségou Region | ||
| Mopti Region | ||
| Tombouctou Region | ||
| Gao Region | ||
| Kidal Region | ||
| Bamako Capital District | ||
| Ménaka Region | ||
| Taoudénit Region | ||
