Timbuktu is located in central Mali near the Niger River; Timbuktu is connected to the Niger by a series of canals. A noted area for the salt trade and the handicraft industry, Timbuktu is often defined as a meeting place for the nomadic people of the Sahara. Timbuktu was founded by the Tuareg in the 11th century, and was used as a seasonal camp. Timbuktu became famous as a part of the Mali Empire for its gold trade. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Timbuktu was an important center of Muslim learning while under the Songahi Empire; over 100 Qur’anic schools existed in Timbuktu, as did many mosques. Sacked by Moroccan invaders in 1593, Timbuktu quickly lost its prominence, something the city has never fully regained. After many more invasions, the French finally captured Timbuktu in 1894. The Ahmed Baba Center in Timbuktu preserves many manuscripts from the Mal and Songhai Empires. The estimated population in Timbuktu is under 100,000 residents.
