Kédougou (Wolof: Keédugu) is a town in the Kédougou Region of south-eastern Senegal near the border with Mali and Guinea. It lies at an elevation of 167 m (548 ft) above sea level.
In 2007, according to official estimates, Kédougou had a population of 18,860.
Transport
A proposed railway branching off the existing line at Tambacounda would serve this town.[1]
Mining
The gold-mining industry has brought several large-scale foreign mining companies to the Kédougou area. This has been a source of tension with some local residents, who point to a lack of jobs available to locals. In late 2008, protests over the practices of gold mines in the region turned violent. On 23 December 2008, a protest march culminated in the burning of government buildings and the security forces firing on demonstrators. The next several days saw widespread destruction of property, looting, and according to a Senegalese human rights group, the mass arrest and torture of suspects. There were also reports that many residents fled the town, some as far as Guinea. Security forces reported one dead, 23 civilians and 10 gendarmes wounded.[2]
Climate
Kédougou has a tropical savanna climate (KöppenAw) featuring hot to sweltering, rainless winters and hot, rainy summers.
Climate data for Kédougou, Senegal (1981-2010 normals, extremes 1973-2007)