Koutiala (Bambara: ߞߎߕߌߊߟߊ tr. Kutiala) is a city in Mali, located 140 km north of the city of Sikasso. Koutiala serves as the capital of its administrative Region and Cercle. As of 2023, Koutiala has 214,271 residents.
History
Situated in Minianka country, Koutiala was founded in the 16th century by members of the Coulibaly family from the Bambara kingdom of Segou. It now contains an important hospital for women and children.
Koutiala's sister city is Alençon, France.
Climate
Economy
Koutiala is the heartland of cotton production in Mali and is sometimes called "the white gold capital" for its cotton. However, the industry has been affected by stagnation since the 1980s. Aside from cotton it is also noted for grain production, primarily pearl millet, sorghum and maize. Koutiala is the second most industrial city in Mali, hosting, among others, the Compagnie malienne pour le développement du textile (CMDT) and the Huilerie cotonnière du Mali (HUICOMA).
Notable people
- Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, president of Mali
- Berthé Aïssata Bengaly, Malian government minister
Photo Gallery
<gallery widths="180" heights="180" perrow="4">
File:IBK Parade.jpg|Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and entourage walking in a parade in Koutiala.
File:Piles of cotton road.jpg|Piles of cotton near Koutiala waiting to be transported
File:Workers compacting cotton Mali.jpg|Workers preparing cotton collected near Mpessoba for pickup and transport via truck to and Koutiala
</gallery>
See also
- List of cities in Mali