Kayes

Kayes (Bambara Kayi, Soninké Xaayi) is a city in western Mali on the River Senegal, holding roughly 90,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré," which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season. The city is located 317 miles north-west of the capital Bamako, at latitude 14°27' North, longitude 11°26' West, .

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. Kayes is often described as the hottest continuously-inhabitated town in Africa. The average daily high temperature in the city is 35°C (95°F), with temperatures usually peaking in April and May at an average 40°C (104°F).

In 1892, Kayes became the capital of the French Sudan; Bamako replaced it as the capital first of the state of Haut Sénégal-Niger on October 17, 1899, then as the capital of all of French Sudan in 1908. The town has an international airport and lies on the Dakar-Niger Railway, in an area rich in gold and iron.

Different sites found in and around Kayes include:

Fort du Médine
the falls of Félou (4 km)
the falls of Goulina, 100 km to the southeast on the Senegal river
the tata (fortification) of Koniakari, constructed by El Hadj Umar Tall, 70 km to the northeast
Lake Magui and Lake Doro
the Manantali dam

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