Labé
Labé | |
---|---|
UTC ) | |
Altitude | 1,050 metres (3,440 ft) |
Labé (Pular: 𞤂𞤢𞤦𞤫) is the main city and administrative capital of the Fouta Djallon region of Guinea. It has a population of about 200,000. It is the second largest city in the country after the capital Conakry in terms of economic importance. Labé is situated some 450 kilometres or 280 miles northeast of Conakry close to the geographic centre of Guinea.
History
The city was founded around 1755 by
The city was the capital of the Diwal/province of Labe prior to French colonisation. It was home to Muslim leaders and scholars who resisted colonisation, such as Alpha Yaya Diallo. Labe is the most important city in the Moyenne (Middle) Guinea region also known as Fouta Djallon. Labe is considered as a major cultural and religious center in West Africa, especially among the Fulani people. Many Muslim scholars made Labe a famous learning place in Islamic studies. The most prominent of the erudites being Alfa Oumarou Rafiou (Dara Labe), Thierno Doura Sombili,
Economy
Labé is an important commercial centre in the region, arising out of its strategic geographical position between several other countries. Traders from nearby regions such as Pita, Tougué, Koubia, Lélouma, Mali Yemberin and other countries including
The city also has a museum, while the Saala Falls and Mount Kolima lie nearby.
The town is served by Tata Airport. A jet-capable airport near Labé was built by Cuban engineers in 1973. Currently the airport remains unused due to the lack of airline traffic connecting the different regions and major cities in Guinea.
The city has a sizable stadium (stade Saifoulaye Diallo) which hosts soccer/football games played by the local club Fello Star. However the sport facility is poorly maintained and kept.[1]
Climate
Labé has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) with extreme temperature differences between day and night due to the city’s altitude of over 1,000 metres or 3,280 feet. It is as hot by day as the coast of Guinea all year round, but cold to comfortable at night due to lower heat storage in thinner air. About 1,550 millimetres or 61 inches of rain fall annually, almost all between late April and early November.
Climate data for Labé, Guinea (1945-2022) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 35.5 (95.9) |
34.7 (94.5) |
40.5 (104.9) |
39.0 (102.2) |
40.0 (104.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
30.0 (86.0) |
35.5 (95.9) |
33.0 (91.4) |
30.0 (86.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
40.5 (104.9) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.5 (85.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
32.6 (90.7) |
32.6 (90.7) |
30.8 (87.4) |
27.8 (82.0) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
26.0 (78.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
28.1 (82.6) |
28.4 (83.1) |
28.8 (83.7) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 20.9 (69.6) |
22.5 (72.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.6 (76.3) |
22.8 (73.0) |
21.7 (71.1) |
21.4 (70.5) |
21.6 (70.9) |
21.9 (71.4) |
21.3 (70.3) |
20.5 (68.9) |
22.4 (72.3) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.3 (54.1) |
13.9 (57.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
17.6 (63.7) |
18.4 (65.1) |
17.7 (63.9) |
17.5 (63.5) |
17.6 (63.7) |
17.2 (63.0) |
16.8 (62.2) |
14.6 (58.3) |
12.6 (54.7) |
16.0 (60.8) |
Record low °C (°F) | 3.8 (38.8) |
6.0 (42.8) |
7.0 (44.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
10.9 (51.6) |
10.5 (50.9) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
13.2 (55.8) |
11.1 (52.0) |
8.1 (46.6) |
4.4 (39.9) |
3.8 (38.8) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2 (0.1) |
4 (0.2) |
9 (0.4) |
35 (1.4) |
141 (5.6) |
233 (9.2) |
315 (12.4) |
340 (13.4) |
288 (11.3) |
141 (5.6) |
34 (1.3) |
2 (0.1) |
1,543 (60.7) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 108 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
38 | 37 | 40 | 43 | 64 | 74 | 86 | 82 | 81 | 77 | 71 | 47 | 62 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 270 | 256 | 261 | 232 | 211 | 180 | 148 | 131 | 159 | 195 | 236 | 257 | 2,536 |
Percent possible sunshine | 76 | 79 | 71 | 63 | 54 | 47 | 38 | 34 | 44 | 54 | 69 | 73 | 58 |
Source: NOAA (precipitation, humidity, and sunshine 1961-1990)[2][3] |
Notable people
- Thierno Abdourahmane Bah (1916 - 2013) - Poet and imam of Labe mosque
- Sirah Baldé (1927/8–2018) – novelist and teacher
- Cellou Dalein Diallo – politician and economist
- Koumanthio Zeinab Diallo – poet, novelist and playwright
- Siradiou Diallo (1936–2004) – politician and journalist
References
- Department of the ArmyPamphlet 550-174, 1975, p.333
- ^ "Labé Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ "Global Historical Climatological Network - Daily". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 23, 2023.