became more densely built than most Malian cities with many multi-story buildings and narrow streets. Originally, the islands were much smaller than they are today; first linked by dykes in the early twentieth century, the areas around and between natural islands have been gradually filled and raised--often by deposition of household trash, a process that still continues today in areas such as the western edge of the Old Town.

In 2002, Mopti was one of several Malian cities to host the Cup of African Nations tournament. A large, modern