Boundiali | |
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— city — | |
Boundiali | |
Department location | |
Boundiali
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Coordinates: [1] | |
Region | Savanes Region |
Area | |
• Total | 3,337.5 sq mi (8,644 km2) |
Population (2004) | |
• Total | 163,425 |
Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) |
Boundiali is a town in Boundiali Department in north central Côte d'Ivoire, in the southwest of Savanes Region.
Its population, the boundialikas, is made mainly of ethnic groups shared across the borders of Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso as well as some Fulas, totalling around 50,000 people in the town. It is a centre for Senoufo people and is known for crafts. The inhabitants are chiefly farmers and stockbreeders as well as tradesmen or civil servants.
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The economy of the town of Boundiali is largely based on the cotton industry, introduced by the French during the colonial period, and primarily intended for export. Corn, groundnut, millet, manioc, banana, mangoes, yam, and rice are also cultivated, maily for local consumption.
The city has a hospital, a modern college and two factories for cotton processing, its principal industry, to the point of being called white gold.
Its mayor is Zémogo Fofana, former member of the RDR, and a former minister. He has created his own party with Jean-Jacques Bechio, another former minister and Director of the RDR.
Boundiali is also the name one of the fifty-eight departments of Côte d'Ivoire, located in the northern region of the country, and also the name of the town at the center of that department.
The town is surrounded by two volcanic "mountains"[2] that are the geologic result of the Guinean mountain range that culminates at Mount Nimba.[3]
The area is part of the Savanna Region, with tropical to subtropical vegetation. The climate is very hot and dry (Sudanese climate). In December and January, Harmattan, a powerful wind blows in from the Sahara, lowering the temperature considerably.
The neighbouring villages, are home to artisans who manufacture statues of human or animal figures as well as wood-carved doors and sénoufo chairs.
The ceremonies of the area are celebrated with the popular use of Djembe, Kora and Balaphon.
Onchocerciasis devastated the riverside villages of the area, but was effectively eradicated in 1980, thanks chiefly to Canadian co-operation.[4]
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