| Labé | |
|---|---|
| — Sub-prefecture and town — | |
| Labé centre | |
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Labé
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Guinea |
| Region | Labe Region |
| Prefecture | |
| Elevation | 3,366 ft (1,026 m) |
| Population (2008) | |
| • Total | 58,649 |
Labé is the main city and administrative capital of the Fouta Djallon region of Guinea. It has a population of about 58,649 (2008 est).[1] It is the second largest city in the country after the capital Conakry. Labé is situated some 450 km northeast of Conakry close to the geographic centre of Guinea.
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The city was founded around 1755 by Karamoko Alpha mo Labé, an Islamic religious leader who propagated Islam in the region in the 18th century and who founded a theocratic state in Fouta Djallon.
The city was the capital of the Diwal province prior to French colonisation. It was home to Muslim leaders and scholars who resisted colonisation, such as Alpha Yaya Diallo.
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 Tougué, Koubia and Lélouma and other countries including Mali, Senegal, the Gambia and Sierra Leone gather in Labé. Its Kouroula market is the second largest in the country after the Madina in Conakry.
The city also benefits from a considerable diaspora whose repatriated income contributes significantly to infrastructural development in Labé and helps to overcome the region's relatively poorer revenue stream. Merchants from the city dominate the informal economy in most Guinean cities and are also economically active in cities further afield, such as Dakar, Bamako, Abidjan, Bissau and Freetown.
It is known for weaving, shoemaking and honey. The city also has a museum and an airport, while the Saala Falls and Mount Kolima lie nearby.
The town is served by Tata Airport. While Tata Airport is grass, a jet-capable airport near Labé was reported to have been built by Cuban engineers in 1973.[2]
Labé has a tropical savanna climate with extreme differences between day and night. It is hot all year round (yet cold to warm at night). About 1500 mm of rain fall annually, mostly on summer.
| Climate data for Labé, Guinea | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.8 (89.2) |
33.3 (91.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.8 (92.8) |
30.8 (87.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.7 (81.9) |
28.2 (82.8) |
28.8 (83.8) |
31.0 (87.8) |
30.5 (86.9) |
31.08 (87.95) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.4 (66.9) |
21.3 (70.3) |
23.2 (73.8) |
26.1 (79.0) |
24.3 (75.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
21.5 (70.7) |
21.5 (70.7) |
21.6 (70.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.1 (66.4) |
21.69 (71.05) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) |
4.7 (40.5) |
5.2 (41.4) |
12.2 (54.0) |
15.1 (59.2) |
15.2 (59.4) |
15.0 (59.0) |
15.5 (59.9) |
14.8 (58.6) |
13.0 (55.4) |
8.4 (47.1) |
6.1 (43.0) |
10.91 (51.63) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 2 (0.08) |
4 (0.16) |
9 (0.35) |
35 (1.38) |
141 (5.55) |
233 (9.17) |
315 (12.4) |
340 (13.39) |
288 (11.34) |
141 (5.55) |
34 (1.34) |
2 (0.08) |
1,544 (60.79) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 108 |
| Sunshine hours | 269.7 | 257.0 | 260.4 | 231.0 | 210.8 | 180.0 | 148.8 | 130.2 | 159.0 | 195.3 | 237.0 | 257.3 | 2,536.5 |
| Source: Hong Kong Observatory,[3] | |||||||||||||
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