Liptako
Encyclopedia
Liptako is an historic region of West Africa. It today falls in eastern Burkina Faso
, southwestern Niger
and a small portion of southeast central Mali
. A hilly region beginning on the right back of the Niger river
, Liptako is usually associated with the Liptako Emirate, an early 19th century Fulani
Islamic state, founded by Brahima Saidu. With the semi nomadic Fula, the main historic population of Liptako are the Gourmantche, a minority population in each of the three nations, as well as the Mossi and Songhai. The other common name for the region, Liptako-Gourma, is a reference to the Gourmantche people.
Modern Liptako, most of which falls in 10 to 19 provinces of Burkina Faso, along with Niger's Tera Department
and Say Department
, and small parts of Mali, is a hilly and in parts sparsely populated area. As elsewhere, the Fula population, known as the "Liptaako" or Liptako Fula, are historically supported by semi-nomadic cattle raising and trade. Say
, a nearby Niger River trade center, regionally dominant in the 19th century, relied in part on Fula trade routes through Liptako. In the late 20th century, gold
and other minerals were discovered here, leading to the 1970 creation of the Liptako-Gourma Authority
: a regional zone focused on the promotion of the area's mineral, energy, hydraulic, and agricultural resources. The zone covered by the authority covers an area of 370,000 km², broader than the historic Liptako, including 19 provinces of Burkina Faso, 4 administrative regions of Mali, and two Regions
and an urban community of Niger. Major towns in Liptako include Diagourou
, Téra
and Dori
in Niger, and Koala
and Aribinda in Burkina.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, southwestern Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
and a small portion of southeast central Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
. A hilly region beginning on the right back of the Niger river
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
, Liptako is usually associated with the Liptako Emirate, an early 19th century Fulani
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
Islamic state, founded by Brahima Saidu. With the semi nomadic Fula, the main historic population of Liptako are the Gourmantche, a minority population in each of the three nations, as well as the Mossi and Songhai. The other common name for the region, Liptako-Gourma, is a reference to the Gourmantche people.
Modern Liptako, most of which falls in 10 to 19 provinces of Burkina Faso, along with Niger's Tera Department
Tera Department
Téra is a department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Its capital lies at the city of Téra.-History:Téra Department covers most of the historic territory of Liptako. Today primarily a home to speakers of the Southern Songhai language, prior to the Songhai Empire, the area was populated by...
and Say Department
Say Department
Say is a department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Its capital city is Say, and includes the towns of Guéladjo, Tamou, and Torodi. It abuts the urban Region of Niamey, and lies across the Niger River to the southwest of the capital. It extends to the Burkina Faso border over 60km to the west,...
, and small parts of Mali, is a hilly and in parts sparsely populated area. As elsewhere, the Fula population, known as the "Liptaako" or Liptako Fula, are historically supported by semi-nomadic cattle raising and trade. Say
Say, Niger
Say is a town in southwest Niger, situated on the Niger River. It is the capital of the Say Department in the Tillabéri Region. The municipality has 12,000 inhabitants, and its economy is dominated by agriculture, herding and small trade.-Overview:...
, a nearby Niger River trade center, regionally dominant in the 19th century, relied in part on Fula trade routes through Liptako. In the late 20th century, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and other minerals were discovered here, leading to the 1970 creation of the Liptako-Gourma Authority
Liptako-Gourma Authority
The Liptako–Gourma Authority is a regional organization seeking to develop the contiguous areas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.Created in December 1970, the Authority has as its goal the promotion of the areas mineral, energy, hydraulic, and agricultural resources within a regional framework...
: a regional zone focused on the promotion of the area's mineral, energy, hydraulic, and agricultural resources. The zone covered by the authority covers an area of 370,000 km², broader than the historic Liptako, including 19 provinces of Burkina Faso, 4 administrative regions of Mali, and two Regions
Regions of Niger
||Niger is divided into 7 Regions . Each department's capital is the same as its name.-Current regions:*Agadez Region*Diffa Region*Dosso Region*Maradi Region*Tahoua Region*Tillabéri Region*Zinder Region...
and an urban community of Niger. Major towns in Liptako include Diagourou
Diagourou
Diagourou is a town in the Coalla Department of Gnagna Province in eastern Burkina Faso. The town has a population of 1,165....
, Téra
Téra
Téra is a town in the Tillabéri Region, Tera Department of Niger. It is situated 175 km north-west of the capital Niamey, close to the border with Burkina Faso. It is mainly inhabited by Songhai, Fulani, Gourmantche and Buzu ethnic groups. The majority of the population are farmers.- Commerce...
and Dori
Dori
Dori may refer to:Place names:* Dori, Burkina Faso, a city in Burkina Faso, West Africa** Dori Department** Roman Catholic Diocese of Dori** Dori AirportBallet terminology...
in Niger, and Koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
and Aribinda in Burkina.
See also
- Liptako-Gourma AuthorityLiptako-Gourma AuthorityThe Liptako–Gourma Authority is a regional organization seeking to develop the contiguous areas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.Created in December 1970, the Authority has as its goal the promotion of the areas mineral, energy, hydraulic, and agricultural resources within a regional framework...
- List of rulers of the Mossi state of Liptako
- Tera DepartmentTera DepartmentTéra is a department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Its capital lies at the city of Téra.-History:Téra Department covers most of the historic territory of Liptako. Today primarily a home to speakers of the Southern Songhai language, prior to the Songhai Empire, the area was populated by...
, Niger - Samira Hill Gold MineSamira Hill Gold MineThe Samira Hill Gold Mine is a Gold mine in Téra Department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Opened in late 2004, it is the first industrial scale gold mine in the nation, and while operated by a Canadian/Moroccan consortia, the government of Niger owns both a 20% stake in its operation, and...
: large Nigerien Gold Mine along the Burkina Faso border