Timbuktu, Mali Click Image to Enlarge  (JPG) (462,206 bytes) ( 1,789 x 1,431 )

Timbuktu is in the West African Nation of Mali, about 15 km north of the Niger River, at the intersection of an east-west and a north-south Trans-Saharan trade route across the Sahara. It was an intellectual and spiritual capital in the 15th and 16th centuries, and a center for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa. After long years of decline, Timbuktu is still a tourist destination, known for its mosques, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The image was acquired on March 6, 2001, covers an area of 26.8 x 21.5 km, and is located at 16.8 degrees north latitude, 3 degrees west longitude.