Macina (swamp)
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The Macina is a swampy depression in central Mali, Africa. It is located in the middle course of the Niger River. Due to its proximity to the widening Sahel, there have been concerns that the Macina may be getting less rain every year.
The Fulani and Dogon inhabit the Macina region and the surrounding area. During the wet season, the swamp floods into a lake and naturally irrigates the land. When the dry season comes, the Macina turns into a network of lakes and channels. Cattle and millet are its important agricultural products. The Macina inland delta also provides water and fish for the Malians living there.
In the early 19th century, Seku Amadu founded a Massina Empire in the region, building a capital at Hamdullahi in 1820. The Massina fell to El Hadj Umar Tall's Toucouleur Empire in 1862, who in turn fell to the French army. The region became a part of the country of Mali on its independence in 1960.
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