Mopti
—  Commune and town  —
Mopti Market
Mopti Location within Mali
Coordinates: 14°30′N 4°12′W / 14.5°N 4.2°W / 14.5; -4.2
Country	Mali
Regions of Mali	Mopti Region
Cercle	Mopti Cercle
islands	List New Town Old Town Bani
Elevation	275 m (905 ft)
Population (2009)[1]
• Total	114,296
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)

Mopti (Pronounced Mohti) is a city at the confluence of the Niger and the Bani in Mali, between Timbuktu and Ségou. The city lies on three islands linked by dykes: the New Town, the Old Town and Medina Coura. As a result it is sometimes known as the "Venice of Mali".

History[link]

The city of Mopti derives its name from the Fulfulde word for gathering. The islands had long been inhabited, but Mopti was only founded in the nineteenth century as part of the Massina Empire, later becoming the base of El Hadj Umar Tall. With French domination, Mopti became known for its egret feather industry.^[2]

Due to the limited land available, Mopti is very densely built compared to most Malian cities, containing many multi-story buildings and narrow streets. Originally, the islands were much smaller than they are today; first linked by dykes in the early twentieth century, the areas around and between natural islands have been gradually filled and raised—often by deposition of household trash, a process that still continues today in areas such as the western edge of the Old Town.

Mopti is the capital of the 5th administrative region of Mali, the Région de Mopti.

In 2002, Mopti was one of several Malian cities to host the Cup of African Nations tournament. A large, modern stadium was constructed for this event.

Amadou Toumani Touré, current president of Mali, is a native of Mopti.

Industry[link]

Port of Mopti

Mopti is the region's commercial center and Mali's most important port; markets around its harbour sell salt from the Sahara, among many other goods. Fishing, herding, and agriculture (particularly rice production) also continue to be important to the local economy.

Tourist industry[link]

Mopti is popular with tourists, having an active river port, a mosque, and across the Niger, small fishing villages. Attractions in Mopti include Mopti Grand Mosque and the nearby Pays Dogon. There are several popular hotels, the Hotel Kanaga, Hotel Y a pas de Problème, and Hotel Ambedjele which is on the road to Sévaré.

Transport[link]

Ferries connect Mopti with Timbuktu, Gao, Koulikoro and Djenné. A causeway links the town to Sévaré, the actual location of Mopti's airport.

Culture[link]

The city is the subject of a 1999 documentary film, L'Esprit de Mopti.^[3]

Demographics[link]

 id:lightgrey value:gray(0.8)
 id:darkgrey  value:gray(0.3)
 id:sfondo value:rgb(1,1,1)
 id:barra value:rgb(0.6,0.8,0.9)

 color:barra width:12 align:left
 bar:Jan from:0 till: 842 
 bar:Feb from:0 till: 335
 bar:Mar from:0 till: 160
 bar:Apr from:0 till: 90
 bar:May from:0 till: 64
 bar:Jun from:0 till: 134
 bar:Jul from:0 till: 594 
 bar:Aug from:0 till: 1623 
 bar:Sep from:0 till: 2478 
 bar:Oct from:0 till: 2736 
 bar:Nov from:0 till: 2440 
 bar:Dec from:0 till: 1712

Mopti is the fourth-largest city in Mali, with a population of 110,000, primarily of the Bambara, Bozo, Dogon, Songhai and Fula ethnic groups.

Climate[link]

The weather is hot and dry throughout much of the year with plenty of sunshine. Average daily maximum temperatures in the hottest months of the year - April and May - exceed 40°C. Temperatures are slightly cooler, though still very hot, from June through September, when practically all of the annual rainfall occurs. Only the winter months of December and January have average daily maximum temperatures below 32°C.

• 

  Mopti Grand Mosque

• 

  Busy market

• 

  boats at harbour

• 

  Market scene

• 

  Countryside near Sévaré in the commune of Mopti

See also[link]

• List of cities in Mali

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mopti

• Photo 1 Photo 2
• Pictures of Mopti and villages around it

v t e Communes and towns of the Mopti Region Capital: Mopti Bandiagara Cercle Bandiagara (Bandiagara) Bara Sara (Ouo Sarre) Borko (Borko) Dandoli (Dandoli) Diamnati (Dé) Dogani Bere (Dogani Bere) Doucoumbo (Doucoumbo) Dourou (Dourou) Kende (Kende) Kendie (Kendie) Lowol Gueou (Karegue) Metoumou (Damada) Ondougou (Ondougou) Pelou (Pelou) Pignari Bana (Goundaka) Pignari (Baboye) Sangai (Sangha Agolleye) Segue Ire (Sougui) Soroly (Soroly) Timniri (Diangassagou) Wadouba (Kani Gogouna) 180px Bankass Cercle Bankass (Bankass) Baye (Baye) Diallassagou (Diallassagou) Dimbal Habe (Dimbal Habe) Kanibonzon (Kanibonzon) Koulogon Habe (Koulogon Habe) Lessagou Habe (Lessagou Habe) Ouenkoro (Ouenkoro) Segue (Segue) Sokoura (Sokoura) Soubala (Soubala) Tori (Tori) Djenné Cercle Djenné (Djenné) Dandougou Fakala (Konio) Derary (Gagna) Fakala (Sofara) Femaye (Taga) Kewa (Kouakourou) Madiama (Madiama) Niansanarie (Keke) Nema Badenyakafo (Mougna) Ouro Ali (Senossa) Pondori (Gomitogo) Togue Mourari (Mourrah) Douentza Cercle Douentza (Douentza) Dallah (Dallah) Dangol Boré (Boré) Débéré (Débéré) Dianweli (Dianweli Maoundé) Djaptodji (N'Gouma) Gandamia (Kikara) Hairé (Boni) Hombori (Hombori) Kéréna (Kéréna) Korarou (Diona) Koubewel Koundia (Koubewel) Mondoro (Mondoro) Pétaka (Pétaka) Tédié (Tongo-Tongo) Koro Cercle Koro (Koro) Bamba (Déguéré) Barapireli (Barapireli) Bondo (Bondo) Diankabou (Diankabou) Dinangourou (Dinangourou) Dioungani (Dioungani) Dougoutene I (Toroli) Dougoutene II (Andiagana-Na) Kassa (Berdosso) Koporokendie Na (Koporokendie Na) Koporo Pen (Koporo Pen) Madougou (Madougou) Pel Maoude (Pel Maoude) Yoro (Yoro) Youdiou (Youdiou) Mopti Cercle Mopti (Mopti) Bassirou (Sampara) Borondougou (Diambacourou) Dialloubé (Dialloubé) Fatoma (Fatoma) Konna (Konna) Korombana (Korientzé) Koubaye (Koubaye) Kounari (Manaco) Ouro Modi (Ouro Modi) Ouroubé Douddé (Sendégué) Sasalbé (N'Gouréma Toboro) Sio (Soufouroulaye) Socoura (Socoura) Soye (Soye) Ténenkou Cercle Ténenkou (Ténenkou) Diafarabé (Diafarabé) Diaka (Dia) Diondiori (Diondiori) Karéri (Dioura) Ouro Ardo (Kondo) Ouro Guiré (Koubi) Sougoulbé (Kora) Togoro Kotia (Sossobé) Toguéré Coumbé (Toguéré Coumbé) Youwarou Cercle Youwarou (Youwarou) Bimbéré Tama (Dogo) Deboye (Guidio-Sarre) Dirma (Ambiri) Dongo (Kormou-Marka) Farimaké (Gathi-Loumbo) N'Dodjiga (Sah)

v t e Niger River Countries Guinea Mali Niger Benin Nigeria Sections Source of the Niger Middle Niger Inner Niger Delta Lower Niger Niger Delta Tributaries (list) and distributaries Tinkisso River Sankarani River Milo River Bani River Mekrou River Alibori River Sola River Sokoto River Sota River Kaduna River Benue River Anambra River Forcados River Nun River Cities Siguiri Bamako Segou Mopti Timbuktu Gao Niamey Lokoja Onitsha Lakes Kainji Lake Lac Debo Dams and bridges King Fahd Bridge Martyrs Bridge Markala Dam Gao Bridge Kennedy Bridge Kainji Dam River Niger Bridge (Onitsha) Protected Areas Niger Basin Authority National Park of Upper Niger W National Park Kainji National Park

Coordinates: 14°30′N 4°12′W / 14.5°N 4.2°W / 14.5; -4.2