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Macina
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Map of western Africa showing the greatest territorial extent of major historical states from the 11th to 16th centuries. The 14th-century Kingdom of Mali is outlined in green, the 16th-century Songhai Empire in purple, and the 16th-century Hausa Bakwai states in red. Major cities, rivers, and regional names are labeled within and around these territories.
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Also spelled:
Masina
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Macina

region, Africa
Also known as: Masina
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History

Macina, region, the middle course of the Niger River in Mali, between Ségou and Timbuktu (Tombouctou), where its braided channels form a vast inland delta extending 300 mi (480 km) northeast–southwest. The depression is covered by a network of lakes, swamps, and channels and is flooded during the rainy season, making the area one of the most fertile in Africa. A large dam at Sasanding supplies irrigation canals. Millet is the chief crop, and cattle and sheep are bred by the Fulani.

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