Gao /ɡaʊ/ is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, 320 km (200 mi) east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley.
For much of its history Gao was an important commercial centre involved in the trans-Saharan trade. In the 9th century external Arabic writers described Gao as an important regional power and by the end of the 10th century the local ruler was said to be a Muslim. Towards the end of the 13th century Gao became part of the Mali Empire, but in first half of the 15th century the town regained its independence and with the conquests of Sonni Ali (ruled 1464–1492) it became the capital of the Songhai Empire. The Empire collapsed after the Moroccan invasion in 1591 and the invaders chose to make Timbuktu their capital. By the time of Heinrich Barth's visit in 1854, Gao had declined to become an impoverished village with 300 huts constructed from matting. In 2009, the urban commune had a population of 86,633.
Gao is a city in Mali and the capital of Gao Region.
Gao or GAO may also refer to:
Gao–Guenie is a H5 ordinary chondrite meteorite fell on in 1960 in Burkina Faso, Africa. The fall was composed by a large number of fragments and it is one of the largest observed meteorite showers in Africa to date.
The meteorites formerly known as Gao and Guenie in 1999 were officially paired and they name fused into the collective name Gao–Guenie.
Gao–Guenie meteorites fell in Burkina Faso on March 5, 1960 at 17:00 (local time). After three separate detonations, several thousands of stones rained down over an area of about 70 square kilometres (27 sq mi). The sound of the fall was heard as far as Ouagadougou, which is 100 kilometres (62 mi) away. Eyewitnesses said that some trees were broken and henhouses destroyed. The largest stones recovered weigh up to 10 kilograms (22 lb).
Gao–Guenie is classified as H5 ordinary chondrite.
Surface details of a small oriented fragment
Surface details of a small oriented fragment
308 g sample
Mira
Mira esa cara,
Mira esos ojos que no dicen nada
Mira esas manos
Ya cansadas de tanto trabajo
Mira, mira esa boca
Ya no hay palabras para esa vida loca
Mira, mira su corazón,
Siempre sufriendo, siempre pide perdón
Apresurado, siempre nervioso,
Algo temerario
Ve caer los días
De este largo y triste calendario
Siempre se equivoca
Hierve la sangre cuando le traicionan,
En su interior no queda nada,
Ni sitio para el dolor
Ya se que nada le hace feliz
Ya se que cree que todo es un cuento
Que le contaron pa hacerle reir
Para después destrozar viejos sueños
Ya se que nada le hace sentir
Ya se que quiere romper el silencio
Gritarle a todos que quiere vivir
Tan solo el viento escucha sus lamentos
Busca una puerta,
Una salida, calma en la tormenta
Se hace preguntas,
A la deriva en un mar de dudas
Desquiciando su vida
Entierra besos, besos y alegrias
Mira, mira su corazón,
Ya se ha parado, jamás pedirá perdón.