Kara, located 413 km north of Lomé in northern Togo, serves as the capital of the Kara Region and has a population of 94,878. The city, which developed from the village of Lama-Kara in the 1970s, is strategically positioned at the crossroads of two major trade routes. The Kara River flows through the city, providing its main water source. Surrounded by the southern Kabiye mountain range, the city sits at an altitude of about 400 meters. Kara is known for its traditional wrestling tournaments held every July, which mark the first step in the Kabiye male initiation rite. These events, organized by neighbourhoods and villages, attract local attention and the participation of the country's head of state at the finals.