Mali is home to the ancient city of Timbuktu, a medieval center of learning near the Niger River.
Timbuktu grew into an important trading and intellectual center on the southern edge of the Sahara. Its position connected trans-Saharan caravan routes with the Niger River region, helping the city prosper through commerce in gold, salt, and other goods.
During the Mali and Songhai empires, Timbuktu became known for Islamic scholarship. Institutions and private libraries preserved thousands of manuscripts covering religion, law, science, literature, and history. The city’s famous mud-brick mosques include Djinguereber and Sankore.
Timbuktu is in modern Mali, not neighboring Niger, although the Niger River also flows through Niger. UNESCO designated Timbuktu’s historic center a World Heritage Site in 1988, and armed conflict has threatened its monuments and manuscripts.