Tambacounda

Coordinates: 13°46′8″N 13°40′2″W / 13.76889°N 13.66722°W / 13.76889; -13.66722
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Not to be confused with Tembakounda, Guinea.
Tambacounda
تامباكوندا
UTC+0 (GMT)
Websitehttp://sip.sn/tambacounda

Tambacounda (

Arabic: تامباكوندا; Wolof:[citation needed] Tambaakundaa [citation needed]) is the largest city in eastern Senegal, 400 kilometres (250 mi) southeast of Dakar, and is the regional capital of the province
of the same name. Its estimated population in 2007 was 78,800.

Geography

Tambacounda is situated on the sparsely populated sahélien plains of eastern Senegal.

Nearby towns include Madina Maboule, Koukari, Yoro Sankoule, Sambadian, Djidje Kounda, Afia Seno, Saare Boylii and Kanderi Niana.

Climate

Tambacounda has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh). Like most of West Africa, the area has two seasons, the rainy season from June to October, characterized by heat, humidity and storms, and the sweltering, rainless dry season from November to May. The average precipitation is 742 mm (29.2 in).

Climate data for Tambacounda (1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 34.9
(94.8) 		37.4
(99.3) 		39.8
(103.6) 		41.4
(106.5) 		40.9
(105.6) 		37.6
(99.7) 		33.6
(92.5) 		32.2
(90.0) 		33.0
(91.4) 		35.9
(96.6) 		37.5
(99.5) 		35.6
(96.1) 		36.6
(97.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 18.0
(64.4) 		20.4
(68.7) 		23.1
(73.6) 		25.3
(77.5) 		26.5
(79.7) 		25.5
(77.9) 		23.8
(74.8) 		23.0
(73.4) 		22.5
(72.5) 		22.8
(73.0) 		20.1
(68.2) 		18.3
(64.9) 		22.4
(72.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 0.1
(0.00) 		0.1
(0.00) 		0.2
(0.01) 		0.1
(0.00) 		13.2
(0.52) 		82.6
(3.25) 		163.0
(6.42) 		226.7
(8.93) 		199.3
(7.85) 		54.3
(2.14) 		2.6
(0.10) 		0.0
(0.0) 		742.2
(29.22)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 1.1 5.9 10.6 14.8 12.9 4.3 0.3 0.0 50.2
Source: NOAA[1]

History

Tambacounda was founded by

Faleme river by an expanding Bundu in the 18th century. When they arrived at the future side of Tambacounda they found a single hut, inhabited by a slave named Tamba, who welcomed them, and named the community after him.[2][3]: 142  The town, a center of the peanut trade with the English, was attacked by Bundu in 1863.[3]
: 140 

The Kingdom of Wuli became a French protectorate in 1888.[4] The Dakar–Bamako railway reached Tambacounda in 1913.[5] In 1919, it became the adminsitrative capital of a new eponymous cercle.[6] With access to the railroad, in the 1920s came more intensive cultivation of grains, peanuts and cotton. French colonial authorities made the town a major transport hub, and a number of buildings, including the rail station retain the colonial flavor.

The train ran until 2018, when it was forced out of service due to a lack of maintenance of the rails. As of January 2024, however, major upgrades are being done, with plans to relaunch passenger and freight service between Tambacounda and Dakar.[7]

Population and culture

Between the censuses of 1988 and 2002, Tambacounda grew from 41,885 to 67,543 inhabitants. In 2007, according to official estimates, the population reached 78,800 persons.

Settled first by Mandinka people, on the regular transhumance routes of Fula cattle herders, and settled again by Wolof farmers in the early 20th century, Tambacounda has a mix of most of the ethnic groups in Senegal.

The Tambacounda region is famous for its rich

Segu, Mali coming to Tambacounda in the mid 1900s, and brought with them their history, knowledge, and secrets of the djembe. Among the famous musicians from Tambacounda was drummer Abdoulaye Diakité
.

Religion

As with most of Senegal, the population is overwhelmingly

Roman Catholic
.

Transport

Train station, 2009

Besides the

Gambia
. The road through Tambacounda is the only internal route between the two parts of the country that does not cross the Gambian border.

The town also has an airport, Tambacounda Airport, serviced by national and international flights.

A farm near Tambacounda.

Agriculture

Tambacounda is also a center for agricultural processing, with millet, sorgum, maize and cotton grown in the dry plains of the region. Sodefitex operates a large cotton processing plant in the town.

Administration

Tambacounda is the capital of Tambacounda Department (which includes three administrative regions) and the large Tambacounda Region.

Sites of interest

Niokolo-Koba National Park

The Niokolo-Koba National Park lies just to the south of the town, and is famed for its wildlife.

In 2003, the iron-framed rail station, the Hôtel de la Gare, and the colonial Préfecture building were placed on Senegal's list of Monuments historiques.[8]

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Tamba". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  2. ^ Galloway, Winifred (1975). A History of Wuli from the Thirteenth to the Nineteenth Century (History PhD). University of Indiana. p. 112.
  3. ^
    ISBN 9780521528474
    .
  4. ^ Traore 2021, pp. 307.
  5. ^ Traore 2021, pp. 311.
  6. ^ Traore 2021, pp. 309.
  7. ^ "Tambacounda : Relance du chemin de fer/ Un train a enfin sifflé à la gare ferroviaire". Echo Oriental. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
  8. ^ Arrêté du 27 mars 2003 Archived 2012-02-07 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Bibliography

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