Say | |
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Coordinates: 13°06′N 2°22′E / 13.100°N 2.367°E | |
Country | Niger |
Region | Tillabéri Region |
Department | Say Department |
Elevation | 180 m (590 ft) |
Population (2012 census) | |
• City | 58,290 |
• Urban | 13,546 |
• Metro | 175,625 (Say Department) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Say (Saayi) is a town in southwest Niger, situated on the Niger River. It is the capital of the Say Department in the Tillabéri Region. Say was a small Songhai[1] town prior to the arrival of the Fulani marabout Alfa Mohamed Diobo in the nineteenth century who converted the town to a center for Islamic learning and established the Emirate of Say.[2] The municipality has 58,290 inhabitants,[3][4] and its economy is dominated by agriculture, herding and small trade. Today, the inhabitants of Say are mostly Peulh, Songhai and Zarma.