Bamako vs Laghouat

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Bamako (Bambara: ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ Bàmakɔ̌) is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366. In 2006, it had been estimated to be the fastest-growing town in Africa and sixth-fastest on the planet. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the nation. Bamako is the country's administrative centre. The town proper is a cercle in its own right. Bamako's river port is situated in nearby Koulikoro, together with a significant regional trade and conference centre.

Bamako is the seventh-largest West African urban centre after Lagos, Abidjan, Kano, Ibadan, Dakar, and Accra. Locally manufactured goods include textiles, processed meat, and metal products as well as mining. Commercial fishing occurs on the Niger River. The title Bamako (ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬‎ Bàmakɔ̌ in Bambara) comes in the Bambara word meaning"crocodile tail".

Source: Wikipedia

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Laghouat (English: Laghwat French: Laghouat Arabic: الأغواط‎) is the capital of the Laghouat Province, Algeria, 400 km (250 mi) south of the Algerian capital Algiers. Located in the Amour Range of the Saharan Atlas, the town is an oasis on the north edge of the Sahara Desert. It is an important administrative and military center and marketplace, and is known for rug and tapestry weaving. Laghouat traces its history to at least the 11th century. It paid tribute to Morocco in the 17th century and was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1786.

The town experienced the brutal Siege of Laghouat in 1852, and came under French colonial rule until 1962. Since 1974, it has been the seat of a province of the same name. The population of the town was 126,291 inhabitants in 2005. There are natural gas deposits in the region, and nearby Hassi R'Mel has the largest natural gas reserve in Africa. The city is served by Laghouat Airport.

Source: Wikipedia