| Bamako is the Capitol of Mali. It was founded on | | | | pottery and jewellery varieties. |
| the west bank of the Niger River in the 16th | | | | The Santoro gallery that offers a wide range of |
| century. The small Bambara village of Bamako | | | | internal decoration products, textile and |
| experienced little expansion until the arrival of the | | | | basketwork. |
| French in 1883. On becoming the colonial capital in | | | | It is the nations administrative centre, as well as a |
| 1908, the city evolved into the crossroads of a | | | | river port and a major regional trade centre. |
| region potentially rich in agricultural products and | | | | Manufactures include textiles, processed meat, |
| endowed with natural road and river | | | | and metal goods. |
| communication outlets. | | | | Bamakos educational institutions include schools of |
| The city also has an international airport. | | | | administration, medicine, and engineering. |
| Official estimates put the population at 1 million. | | | | The American International School of Bamako is |
| It is definitely a crowded city and traffic can | | | | an independent, coeducational private day school |
| become completely to a stand still. Cars, mopeds, | | | | which offers a full U S educational program from |
| trucks, buses, donkey carts, pedestrians, bicycles, | | | | age 3 through to 12 and offers a complete high |
| goats and sheep all want for their piece of the | | | | school program. The School was established in |
| road. There appear to be no rules of the road | | | | 1977 to serve the needs of American and |
| and disaster continually imminent, but somehow | | | | international community students seeking an |
| avoided. | | | | English language education. The school year is |
| In the Twenties, the train journey between Dakar | | | | divided into three trimesters which begin in late |
| in Senegal and the Malian capital was one of the | | | | August, in November and in March. There are 175 |
| greatest and most luxurious in Africa. But what is | | | | days in the school year. |
| it like now not good. | | | | The landlocked West African country of Mali is |
| Tourist attractions including a park and a zoological | | | | one of the worlds poorest nations. Since |
| garden with several species of fauna and flora. | | | | independence from France in 1960 it has suffered |
| The National Museum with its collection of Malian | | | | droughts, rebellions, a coup and 23 years of |
| masks and statues. The Muso Kunda museum | | | | military dictatorship. But since 1992, when its first |
| with its variety of womens art and handicraft | | | | democratically elected president took power, Mali |
| items. The Crafts House that presents to visitors | | | | has had a civilian government, which is good. |