text: is timbuctoo a real place?   timbuktu (tĭm'bŭkt`, tĭmbŭk`t), city (1987 pop. 31,925), central mali, near the niger river. connected with the niger by a series of canals, timbuktu is served by the small river port of kabara. its salt trade and handicraft industries make it an important meeting place for the nomadic people of the sahara. timbuktu was founded (11th cent.) by the tuareg tuareg or touareg (both: twä`rĕg), berbers of the sahara, numbering c.2 million. they have preserved their ancient alphabet, which is related to that used by ancient libyans. .....