Kankan
Encyclopedia
Kankan is the largest city in Guinea
in land area, and the third largest in population at 207,790 http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=adhoq&msz=1500&geo=-89 (2009). The city is located on the Milo River
in eastern Guinea
and lying about 345 miles east of Conakry
.
The population of the city is largely from the Mandinka
ethnic group. Kankan serves as the capital and largest city of Kankan Prefecture
and Kankan Region
.
in the seventeenth century and became capital of the Baté Empire
and an important trading centre, particularly for kola nut
s. It was conquered by Samory Touré in 1881 and occupied by the French
in 1891. The population of the city is predominantly from the Mandinka ethnic group and their language is widely spoken throughout the city.
(Université de Kankan), for its religious scholars and its mango
trees. It is home to the Kankan Airport
. It is an eleven hour drive from Conakry
. It also has one of the oldest mosques in West Africa. The Mandingo cultural site Gberedou/Hamana is located about 40 km to the northeast.
. The N1 highway
connects the city with Nzerekore
in the south. In addition, the town is served by Kankan Airport
.
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
in land area, and the third largest in population at 207,790 http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=adhoq&msz=1500&geo=-89 (2009). The city is located on the Milo River
Milo River
The Milo River is a river in Guinea in west Africa. The Milo River flows into the River Niger....
in eastern Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
and lying about 345 miles east of Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
.
The population of the city is largely from the Mandinka
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
ethnic group. Kankan serves as the capital and largest city of Kankan Prefecture
Kankan Prefecture
Kankan is a prefecture located in the Kankan Region of Guinea. The capital is Kankan. The prefecture covers an area of 11,564 km.² and has an estimated population of 235,000.-Sub-prefectures:...
and Kankan Region
Kankan Region
The Kankan Region is located in eastern Guinea. It is bordered by the countries of Mali and Côte d'Ivoire and the Guinean regions of Nzérékoré and Faranah.Prefectures of Kankan Region include:*Kankan Prefecture*Kérouané Prefecture*Kouroussa Prefecture...
.
History
Kankan was founded by the Mandinka peopleMandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
in the seventeenth century and became capital of the Baté Empire
Baté Empire
The Baté Empire was a pre-colonial state centred around Kankan in what is today Guinea. It was conquered by the Wassoulou Empire in 1879....
and an important trading centre, particularly for kola nut
Kola nut
Kola Nut is the nut of the kola tree, a genus of trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa, classified in the family Malvaceae, subfamily Sterculioideae . It is related to the South American genus Theobroma, or cocoa...
s. It was conquered by Samory Touré in 1881 and occupied by the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1891. The population of the city is predominantly from the Mandinka ethnic group and their language is widely spoken throughout the city.
Features
The town is known for its universityUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
(Université de Kankan), for its religious scholars and its mango
Mango
The mango is a fleshy stone fruit belonging to the genus Mangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae. The mango is native to India from where it spread all over the world. It is also the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. While...
trees. It is home to the Kankan Airport
Kankan Airport
Kankan Airport is an airport serving Kankan in Guinea.-See also:*List of buildings and structures in Guinea...
. It is an eleven hour drive from Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
. It also has one of the oldest mosques in West Africa. The Mandingo cultural site Gberedou/Hamana is located about 40 km to the northeast.
Transport
Kankan is the terminus of the lightduty narrow gauge railway from ConakryConakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
. The N1 highway
N1 road (Guinea)
The N1 is a national highway of Guinea, It connects the city of Conakry to Nzerekore and to the north with Kankan and eventually by the N7 and N32 to the border with Mali. It also passes through the city of Kouroussa....
connects the city with Nzerekore
Nzérékoré
Nzérékoré, also spelled N'Zérékoré, is the largest city in the Guinée Forestière region of south-eastern Guinea and is capital of the Nzérékoré Prefecture. It is Guinea's third largest city . It was the centre of a rising against French rule in 1911. It is now known as a market town, and for its...
in the south. In addition, the town is served by Kankan Airport
Kankan Airport
Kankan Airport is an airport serving Kankan in Guinea.-See also:*List of buildings and structures in Guinea...
.