Where is Timbuktu?

Yes ..I did hear of it... When I was small, my dad would say.. jokingly he would send us to Timbuktu if we were not good... of couse we thought it was not a real place... I am 79 and a few years ago.. I heard it was real but could not remember where it was. Glad to find out now that it is in Mali... I will remember!!

"Have you ever heard about Timbuktu? We bet that you have not!" Seriously? How condescending you be? Surely anyone with a little knowledge of the world has heard of Timbuktu! Why are you talking down to us?

That is so true W. Laughlin. Since I was a child I knew of Timbuktu as synonomous with about as far into the bookdocks as you can go. Never heard of it ??? I'd be looking for a new circle of friends.

There is also a Timbuktu in California. Ghost town now, was a thriving mining town once upon a time

I've heard of Timbuktu and knew it was located in North Africa.

I love that you have given us a history lesson.

Great question! We hear so little about this advanced culture in the West.

Carmine-James Pitaniello I'll tell you what. First, I never said those were your words and my comment was not directed to you specifically. Were that my intention, I would have addressed you by name. You are taking my comment far too personally. It was meant to be rhetorical. I did not expect an answer. I am well aware of the editorial liberties taken by this site, while including a byline, implying authorship of all copy. Second, I don't care who doesn't know about Timbuktu. There are those who are educated and do and age has nothing to do with it. You are making a broad sweeping generalization about millennials and that is unfair. Third, even if you are right about millennials, why must everything be reduced to its lowest common denominator? The readership here are not children, yet we are quite often spoken down to in awkward attempts to be cute. I find it condescending and you should, too.

I knew it was in africa

It always sounded like a joke, many years before I found out it really existed.

Marianne Frederick Halterman, the capitol of Burkina Faso

As a child, I always thought of it as being in India for some reason! It sounded exotic to me! Or it really didn't excist! Silly kid! 😊👍

I suspect that the vast majority here have heard of Timbuktu. It became part of my lexicon in first grade in 1940.

Of course I have heard of it. It’s famous for its manuscripts among other things

Jan Webster, Oh how I love corny jokes.

Denise Currie, Me too. Don't feel bad

Mali ? Wow ! I did hear of the city. No excuse.

I actually studied history of west Africa in secondary school.Timbuktu was one of many African pride so I bet a lot of enlightened people have heard of it.

I had heard of it and knew it was in Africa I just got the wrong place in Africa though

In the late 18th century an Austrian scholar called Johann Burkhart who was searching for evidence of the lost Hittite civilization entered Timbuktu in disguise. When he was revealed to be an infidel he was stoned by a mob and only escaped death because a visiting American ambassador negociated his release. Was the ambassador trying to drum up African alliances following the loss of trade within the British Empire after independance I wonder? Did he dance like Teresa May?

We have a joke with our five year old grandson 'where is Timbuktu?' 'Next to timbukthree' 😂

How about Ouagadougu (I'm sure I didn't spell it right!?)

I knew it was in Africa, but I miss-guessed. I guessed Nigeria.

Ok got it wrong but a good learning lesson.