Bouaké

Bouaké
Bwake
City, sub-prefecture, and commune

University hospital complex of Bouaké
Bouaké

Location within Ivory Coast

Coordinates: 7°41′N 5°1′W / 7.683°N 5.017°W / 7.683; -5.017
Country  Ivory Coast
District Vallée du Bandama
Region Gbêkê
Department Bouaké
Founded 1899
Area
 • City, sub-prefecture, and commune 71.788 km2 (27.718 sq mi)
Elevation 312 m (1,024 ft)
Population (2014)[1]
 • City, sub-prefecture, and commune 536,189
 • Density 7,500/km2 (19,000/sq mi)
 • Metro 680,694
Time zone GMT (UTC+0)
Website mairiebke.e-monsite.com

Bouaké (or Bwake) is the second-largest city in Ivory Coast, with a population of 536,189 (2014 census). It is the seat of three levels of subdivision—Vallée du Bandama District, Gbêkê Region, and Bouaké Department. The city is located in the central part of Ivory Coast about 50 kilometres (31 mi) northeast of Lake Kossou, the country's largest lake. It is approximately 350 kilometres (220 mi) north of Abidjan on the Abidjan-Niger Railway and about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northeast of Yamoussoukro, the capital of the country.

Bouaké is a centre for the Baoulé people and is known for its crafts. The economy is based on the cotton industry. The city largely grew from the 1970s after the construction of the power station at Kossou Lake flooded land to the west of the city. Bouaké is known for its large carnival and market and for the St Michael's Cathedral. The city has a large airport located north-west of the city with a 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) runway. Liverpool F.C defender Kolo Touré and his brothers Yaya Touré and Ibrahim Touré were born in Bouaké.

Demographics

Year Population
1921 3,600
1945 22 000
1960 60,000
1970 120,000
1975C 175,000
1988C 329,850
1998C 461,618
2014C 542,000

History

Bouaké was established as a French military post in 1899 and has been an administrative center since 1914.

French and United Nations peacekeepers currently reside in the city as part of an enforced ceasefire between the rebel-held north and the government-held south. After the attempt to overthrow the president Laurent Gbagbo had failed, the rebel forces FN (forces nouvelles) led by Guillaume Soro made Bouaké their center of control. Subsequently, Bouaké University, opened in 1996, was closed down in September 2002. Financed by Unesco, the university reopened in April, 2005.

On 4 November 2004, governmental forces used Sukhoi-25s to raid the city as an opening movement towards "territorial liberation," according to Captain Jean-Noël Abbey of the Côte d'Ivoire army. Korhogo, 225 kilometres (140 miles) north of Bouaké, was also targeted.

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as tropical wet and dry (Aw).[2]

Climate data for Bouaké
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 33.0
(91.4)		 33.5
(92.3)		 33.8
(92.8)		 32.7
(90.9)		 31.0
(87.8)		 29.9
(85.8)		 27.8
(82)		 27.7
(81.9)		 28.5
(83.3)		 30.1
(86.2)		 31.3
(88.3)		 31.7
(89.1)		 30.9
(87.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 26.6
(79.9)		 27.8
(82)		 27.8
(82)		 27.0
(80.6)		 26.1
(79)		 25.0
(77)		 24.1
(75.4)		 23.8
(74.8)		 24.3
(75.7)		 25.0
(77)		 25.7
(78.3)		 25.7
(78.3)		 25.7
(78.3)
Average low °C (°F) 20.6
(69.1)		 21.8
(71.2)		 22.3
(72.1)		 22.0
(71.6)		 21.7
(71.1)		 21.2
(70.2)		 20.8
(69.4)		 20.9
(69.6)		 21.1
(70)		 21.3
(70.3)		 21.3
(70.3)		 20.3
(68.5)		 21.3
(70.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 12.5
(0.492)		 40.0
(1.575)		 83.8
(3.299)		 126.4
(4.976)		 123.7
(4.87)		 147.2
(5.795)		 117.5
(4.626)		 128.0
(5.039)		 168.1
(6.618)		 107.9
(4.248)		 30.2
(1.189)		 14.6
(0.575)		 1,099.9
(43.303)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 226.5 206.6 201.4 194.2 202.3 129.7 97.7 90.6 122.8 174.0 184.7 188.0 2,018.5
Source #1: NOAA[3]
Source #2: Climate Charts (latitude: 07°44'N; longitude: 005°04'W; elevation: 376m)[4]

Economy

Tobacco products, building materials, and textiles are produced, and cotton sisal and rice are processed. Gold, mercury, and manganese are found nearby.

Education

Higher education
Publique

  • University of Bouaké

Primary Schools
Public

  • École primaire Publique Zone1

Secondary Schools
Public

  • Lycée classique
  • Lycée technique
  • lycée Djibo Sounkalo (ex lycée Municipal)
  • Lycée moderne Belleville

Semi-Public

  • Lycée St Michel d'Anyama

Private

Public Colleges

  • College de jeunes filles
  • Collège Moderne TSF
  • College moderne de Nimbo (ex COB)
  • College G. Koko (ex CEG KOKO)

Private Colleges

  • Collège Marie Thérèse Yamousso
  • Collège Martin Luther King
  • Collège Moderne Saint Jacques
  • Collège Victor Hugo
  • Collège Ruth Fidèle
  • Collège Ouezzin Coulibaly
  • Collège Renaissance
  • Collège Moderne N'Takpe
  • Collège Saint-Viateur
  • Collège international chrétien
  • Collège Adventiste

Administration

List of mayors of Bouaké since 1960
Date elected Name Party
1960 Djibo Sounkalo PDCI-RDA
1980 Konan Blédou PDCI-RDA
1985 Konan Blédou PDCI-RDA
1990 Konan Antoine PDCI-RDA
1995 Konan Konan Denis PDCI-RDA
2000 Fanny Ibrahima RDR

Subdivisions

The city itself is a sub-prefectures of Bouaké Department; the surrounding suburbs that are outside of the city limits are also organised into a sub-prefecture known as "Bouaké-SP". Bouaké is also a commune.

Religion

The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bouaké. The cathedral of the archdiocese is the Cathédrale Sainte Thérèse in Bouaké. Since 1960, Bouaké has also been home to a Benedictine monastery, Monastère Bénédictin Sainte-Marie. However, the city is predominantly Muslim.

Sport

Brothers Kolo Touré, of Liverpool F.C., and Yaya Toure, midfielder of Manchester City, were born in Bouaké.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Bouaké is twinned with:[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Côte d'Ivoire". geohive.com. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Climate: Bouaké - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  3. ↑ "Bouaké–Aero Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Bouake - Aero, Ivory Coast: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data". Climate Charts. Retrieved 2013-11-30.
  5. ↑ "Villes amies de Bouaké" [Twin towns with Bouaké] (in French). mairiebke.e-monsite.com. Retrieved 2014-08-20.
  6. ↑ "Lista municipiilor înfrățite din România" [List of municipality twinnings in Romania] (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2013-08-21.

External links

Coordinates: 7°41′N 5°1′W / 7.683°N 5.017°W / 7.683; -5.017

 
Largest cities or towns in Ivory Coast
geohive.com
Rank Name District Pop.

Abidjan		 1 Abidjan Abidjan 4 395 243
2 Bouaké Vallée du Bandama 536 189
3 Daloa Sassandra-Marahoué 319 427
4 Korhogo Savanes 286 071
5 Yamoussoukro Yamoussoukro 281 735
6 San-Pédro Bas-Sassandra 261 616
7 Gagnoa Gôh-Djiboua 213 918
8 Man Montagnes 188 704
9 Duékoué Montagnes 185 344
10 Divo Bas-Sassandra 179 455
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