Map of Kayes

History

The area around Kayes was historically a part of the Soninke states of Diarra and Gajaaga. The important trading center of Goundiourou, known in Arabic sources as Ghiyaru, was just across the river, and was later rebuilt just south of the modern city.

Kayes itself was founded in the second half of the 19th century. Guéssé Sidy, a prince of Khasso, established a base there to protect the western approaches to the kingdom's capital, Medina.

Prior to French colonial expansion, Kayes was still a small village. In 1881 the French chose it as the site for a fort and barracks, the headquarters of the colonial presence in the central Sudan, as Medina was difficult to access by boat. By 1886 the post had been fortified, and by 1889 a market town of 6,000 people had grown up around it.

Climate

Kayes has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh). The climate is subject to the West African Monsoon with all the rainfall occurring between June and October. August is the wettest month. There is almost no rainfall during the other seven months of the year. The total annual rainfall is around 650 millimetres or 26 inches. Kayes is nicknamed the "pressure cooker of Africa" due to its extreme heat; the town is surrounded by iron-rich mountains which contribute to the temperature. The town has been described as the hottest continuously inhabited town in Africa. The average daily high temperature in the city is 36.4 °C (97.5 °F), with temperatures usually peaking in April and May at an average of nearly 42 °C (108 °F).

Economy and transport

Kayes lies on the Route Nationale 1 (RN1) highway and is 612 km (380 mi) by road from Bamako and 96 km (60 mi) from the border with Senegal. The town has an international airport (Kayes Airport), and lies on the Dakar-Niger Railway which offered regional passenger train service to Bamako three times a week via Kati and Diamou as of 2013. The area is rich in gold and iron.