The town of Odienné was founded by Malinké people under Vakaba Touré. Later, Samory Touré founded a support base in the town. Features of Odienné include a large mosque, nearby gold mines, and Vakaba Touré's tomb located in Odienné.[4]
It is thought that the area surrounding Odienné was first settled by the Senufo people and the Mandinka people. The founding of the town is credited to Vakaba Touré [fr] (1800–1858), who also founded the Kabadougou Kingdom, of which Odienné was the capital. The French explorer René Caillié visited Odienné in 1827.[9] In 1898, during the French occupation of Cote d'Ivoire, a military post was established south of Odienné.[1] During the First Ivorian Civil War, Odienné was a stronghold for Forces Nouvelles de Côte d'Ivoire. Its remote location meant that the town was somewhat peaceful during the war compared to other Ivorian towns.[4]
Economy
Odienné relies on agriculture as its main industry. Fruits, cashews, yams, and cotton is grown in fields located in the Massif du Dienguélé valley.[9] The town houses a rice-processing plant and manganese is also produced in the area.[10]
Sports
Stade Municipal is the primary stadium in Odienné,[6] and is the home of AS Denguélé, the main football club, which currently plays in the Ligue 1 division.[11]
Climate
Climate data for Odienné (1961-1990 normals, extremes 1973-present)