Wassoulou

Wassoulou (var. Wassulu, Wassalou, Ouassalou) is an historic region in southwest Mali, northeast Guinea (Prefectures of Kankan, Kerouané, Beyla, and Siguiri) and the area west of the Sankarani river and south of the Niger River in Mali and Côte d'Ivoire. Centered around the town of Yanfolila, (in the Cercle of Yanfolila, and the Sikasso Region, 150 km south of Bamako), historic Wassoulou has an estimated population of 160,000. Other towns in Wassoulou include Madina Diassa and Bougouni. The region is named for the Wassoulou river valley.