Gao Region


The Gao Region is a region in northeastern Mali. The capital city is Gao.

Geography

The region is bordered to the north by Kidal Region, to the west by Tombouctou Region, and to the east and most of the south by Niger, sharing a portion of the southern border with Burkina Faso.

Demographics

Common ethnicities in the Gao Region include the Songhai, Bozo, Tuareg, Bambara, and Kounta. The towns include Gao, Bourem, and Bamba.
The Gao Region is part of Mali, the northern part that was separated and declared independent by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad during the Tuareg rebellion of 2012. After the 1st Battle of Gao, the MNLA lost control to Islamist militias. Several other battles took place during the war, particularly in Gao.

Administrative subdivisions

For administrative purposes, the Gao Region is divided into four cercles:
Cercle nameArea Population
Census 1998		Population
Census 2009
Ansongo23,61482,398132,205
Bourem43,00080,667115,958
Gao31,250143,300239,853
Ménaka73,66435,17756,104

History

Gao Region formerly comprised the entire eastern portion of the country, east of Tombouctou Region. In 1991 the northern half of Gao Region became Kidal Region.