Geography
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The Songhay Empire was the last of the three great empires that existed in the Western Sudan. The Western Sudan is a vast geographical region south of the Sahara Desert and north of the forest belt of coastal West Africa.
At its peak, the Songhay Empire stretched from what is now western Mali to the Hausa kingdoms in what is now northern Nigeria. The empire developed along both sides of the Niger River, which flowed in a great curve through the entire country from west to east.
The original kingdom of Songhay was Gao, a city on the Niger River; thus makes the Niger River the birthplace of the Songhay Empire.
Niger River
The Niger River is one of the oldest and longest rivers in the world. This river replenished the land during the flood season and made it possible for people to raise crops and feed animals in what otherwise would have been a desert. In addition, this river provided transportation and linked trade centers located along their banks.
The Niger River was formed by the joining of two distinct rivers that originally flowed in two different directions. The Upper Niger, called the Joliba, sprang from a brook in the hills of Guinea and Sierra Leone. It meandered 450 miles north snaking its way to its northernmost point just past TImbuktu and emptying into the salt lake of Azawad. The lower Niger, called the Quorra, originated in the Saharan mountains of Adrar des Iforas and flowed south, past Gao, growing wider and deeper as it flowed past dense forest foliage and abundant wildlife.
The Niger Bend, which forms part of the middle Niger, is the point where the two rivers embraced. Today, the river winds 2,600 miles through Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria and forms a delta at the Gulf of Guinea.
Beginning where the river makes the big bend, there is a thousand miles of navigable waterway on which boats can sail. The soil along the shoreline is rich, suitable for both agriculture and cattle-raising. All along this watery highway are countless islands, inlets, and small bays now used as artisan's colonies and local marketplaces. It was along this strategic stretch of river that the Songhay Empire began.
At its peak, the Songhay Empire stretched from what is now western Mali to the Hausa kingdoms in what is now northern Nigeria. The empire developed along both sides of the Niger River, which flowed in a great curve through the entire country from west to east.
The original kingdom of Songhay was Gao, a city on the Niger River; thus makes the Niger River the birthplace of the Songhay Empire.
Niger River
The Niger River is one of the oldest and longest rivers in the world. This river replenished the land during the flood season and made it possible for people to raise crops and feed animals in what otherwise would have been a desert. In addition, this river provided transportation and linked trade centers located along their banks.
The Niger River was formed by the joining of two distinct rivers that originally flowed in two different directions. The Upper Niger, called the Joliba, sprang from a brook in the hills of Guinea and Sierra Leone. It meandered 450 miles north snaking its way to its northernmost point just past TImbuktu and emptying into the salt lake of Azawad. The lower Niger, called the Quorra, originated in the Saharan mountains of Adrar des Iforas and flowed south, past Gao, growing wider and deeper as it flowed past dense forest foliage and abundant wildlife.
The Niger Bend, which forms part of the middle Niger, is the point where the two rivers embraced. Today, the river winds 2,600 miles through Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria and forms a delta at the Gulf of Guinea.
Beginning where the river makes the big bend, there is a thousand miles of navigable waterway on which boats can sail. The soil along the shoreline is rich, suitable for both agriculture and cattle-raising. All along this watery highway are countless islands, inlets, and small bays now used as artisan's colonies and local marketplaces. It was along this strategic stretch of river that the Songhay Empire began.