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Songhai empire, great trading state of West Africa (flourished 15th–16th century), centered on the middle reaches of the Niger River in what is now central Mali and eventually extending west to the Atlantic coast and east into Niger and Nigeria. Learn more about the Songhai empire here.
The Songhai Empire (aka Songhay, c. 1460 - c. 1591) covered what is today southern Mauritania and Mali. It replaced the Mali Empire (1240-1645) as the most important state in West Africa.
The Songhai Empire was a state located in the western part of the Sahel during the 15th and 16th centuries. At its peak, it was one of the largest African empires in history. The state is known by its historiographical name, derived from its largest ethnic group and ruling elite, the Songhai people.
Where was the Songhai Empire located? The Songhai Empire was located in West Africa. It covered areas of present-day Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal, with its capital at Gao.
The Songhai Empire was the largest and last of the three major pre-colonial empires to emerge in West Africa. From its capital at Gao on the Niger River, Songhai expanded in all directions until it stretched from the Atlantic Ocean (modern Senegal and Gambia) to what is now Northwest Nigeria and central Niger.
Covering an area of around 310,000 square miles (800,000 kilometers2), the Songhai Empire, at its height, was about twice the size of California. Centered around the Niger River, the Songhai Empire eclipsed the Mali Empire, which had been the regional power before.
Songhai empire, or Songhay empire, Ancient Muslim state, West Africa. Centred on the middle Niger River in what is now central Mali, it eventually extended to the Atlantic coast and into Niger and Nigeria.
Songhai, ethnolinguistic group having more than three million members who inhabit the area of the great bend in the Niger River in Mali, extending from Lake Debo through Niger to the mouth of the Sokoto River in Nigeria. Some nomadic Songhai groups live in Mali, Niger, and southeastern Algeria.