A cercle is the second-level administrative unit in
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Ma ...
. Mali is divided into eight
''régions'' and one capital district (
Bamako
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...
); the ''régions'' are subdivided into 49 ''cercles''. These subdivisions bear the name of their principal city.
During
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
colonial rule in
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Ma ...
, a cercle was the smallest unit of French political administration that was headed by a
European officer. A cercle consisted of several cantons, each of which in turn consisted of several villages. In 1887 the Cercle of
Bafoulabé
Bafoulabé is a town and rural commune in south-western Mali. It is located in the Region of Kayes at the confluence of the Bafing and Bakoy rivers which join to become the Sénégal River. Bafoulabé is the capital of the Cercle of Bafoula ...
was the first cercle to be created in Mali. In most of former
French West Africa
French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now B ...
, the term ''cercle'' was changed to
prefecture
A prefecture (from the Latin ''Praefectura'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain international ...
or
department after independence, but this was not done in Mali.
Some cercles (and the district) were, prior to the 1999 local government reorganisation, further divided into
arrondissements
An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands.
Europe
France
The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissements' ...
, especially in urban areas or the vast northern regions (such as
Kidal
Kidal ( Tuareg Berber: ⴾⴸⵍ, KDL, Kidal) is a town and commune in the desert region of northern Mali. The town lies northeast of Gao and is the capital of the Kidal Cercle and the Kidal Region. The commune has an area of about and incl ...
), which consisted of a collection of communes. Since these reforms, cercles are now directly subdivided into rural and urban communes, which in turn are divided in ''quartiers'' (wuarters, or villages and encampments in rural areas) which have elected councils at each level. There are 703
communes
An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, relig ...
, 36 ''urban communes'' (including six in Bamako District) and 667 ''rural communes''.
[.] The cercles are listed below.
Bamako Capital District
*
Bamako
Bamako ( bm, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ ''Bàmakɔ̌'', ff, 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮 ''Bamako'') is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2009 population of 1,810,366 and an estimated 2022 population of 2.81 million. It is located on the Niger Rive ...
Gao Region
The Gao Region ( Bambara: ߜߊߏ ߘߌߣߋߖߊ tr. Gao Dineja) 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 Taoudénit Region, ...
*
Ansongo Cercle
Ansongo Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Gao Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Ansongo. The Niger River passes through the ''cercle'' and plays an important role in transportation and the eco ...
*
Bourem Cercle
*
Gao Cercle
Gao Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Gao Region of north-eastern Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Gao.
During the Northern Mali conflict in 2012, the main Tuareg rebel group, the National Movement for ...
Kayes Region
*
Bafoulabé Cercle
Bafoulabé Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Kayes Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Bafoulabé. In the 2009 census the population of the ''cercle'' was 233,926.
The ''cercle'' is divided in ...
*
Diema Cercle
DIEMA ( bg, Диема) is a Bulgarian television channel, part of Nova Broadcasting Group, owned by United Group. The channel airs mainly films, action series. Along with Nova Sport and Diema Sport airs sports, including matches from the Englis ...
*
Kita Cercle
Kita Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Kayes Region of Mali. The administrative centre (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Kita. In the 2009 census the population of the ''cercle'' was 434,379.
The ''cercle'' is divided into 33 ''c ...
*
Kéniéba Cercle
Kéniéba Cercle is a subdivision of the Kayes Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Kéniéba.
Kéniéba Cercle contains the Malian section of the hilly Bambouk region, the historic gold mining region of th ...
*
Kayes Cercle
Kayes Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Kayes Region of Mali. Its seat is the city of Kayes, which is also the capital of its Region and its largest city. The Cercle is further divided into Communes
An intentional community i ...
*
Nioro du Sahel Cercle
*
Yélimané Cercle
Yélimané Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Kayes Region of Mali. Its administrative centre (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Yélimané. In the 2009 census the population of the cercle was 178,442.
Yélimané Cercle is a major cen ...
Kidal Region
Kidal Region ( Bambara: ߞߌߘߊߟ ߘߌߣߋߖߊ tr. Kidal Dineja) the eighth administrative region of Mali, covering . This area was formerly part of Gao Region, but was created as a separate region in 1991. It is located in the north of the coun ...
*
Abeibara Cercle
*
Kidal Cercle
Kidal Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Kidal Region of Mali. The administrative center ''(chef-lieu)'' is the town of Kidal. The cercle is divided into rural and urban communes, and below this, quarters/villages. In 2009 the cercle ...
*
Tessalit Cercle
*
Tin-Essako Cercle
Koulikoro Region
*
Banamba Cercle
*
Dioila Cercle
*
Kangaba Cercle
The Kangaba Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Koulikoro Region of Mali. Its seat is the town and commune of Benkadi Habaladougou (Kenieba), also known as Kangaba. It lies at the southwest corner of the region, along the Guinean bor ...
*
Koulikoro Cercle
*
Kolokani Cercle
Kolokani Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Koulikoro Region of Mali. Its seat is the town of Kolokani, which is also its largest settlement. It lies directly to the north of Kati Cercle. Also to the south, (surrounded by the Kati ...
*
Kati Cercle
Kati Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Koulikoro Region of Mali. Its seat is the town of Kati, which is also its largest town. It lies at the southwest corner of the region, and completely surrounds the Bamako Capital District. Unt ...
*
Nara Cercle
Nara Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Koulikoro Region of Mali. Its seat is the town of Nara.
Nara Cercle is the northernmost area of Koulikoro Region, and abuts the desert regions of Mauritania to the north. It covers some 30, ...
Mopti Region
*
Bandiagara Cercle
*
Bankass Cercle
*
Djenné Cercle
Djenné Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Mopti Region of Mali. The administrative center ('' chef-lieu'') is the town of Djenné. In the 2009 census the cercle had a population of 207,260 people.
Administrative subdivisions
Th ...
*
Douentza Cercle
Douentza Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Mopti Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Douentza.
During the Tuareg rebellion of 2012, it was the southernmost part of the state of Azawad, accor ...
*
Koro Cercle
Koro Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Mopti Region of Mali. The administrative center is the town of Koro.
The cercle is divided into 16 communes:.
* Bamba
* Barapiréli
* Bondo
* Diankabou
* Dinangourou
* Dioungani
* Dougout� ...
*
Mopti Cercle
Mopti Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Mopti Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Mopti.
The cercle is divided into 15 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without accents.
* Bassir ...
*
Tenenkou Cercle
*
Youwarou Cercle
Ségou Region
*
Bla Cercle
Bla Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Ségou Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Bla.
The cercle is divided into 17 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without accents.
* Beguené
* ...
*
Barouéli Cercle
Barouéli Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Ségou Region of Mali. The administrative center ('' chef-lieu'') is the town of Barouéli.
The Cercle is divided into 11 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without accents.
...
*
Macina Cercle
Macina Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Ségou Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Macina.
The cercle is divided into 11 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without diacritics.
* Bok ...
*
Niono Cercle
Niono Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Ségou Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Niono.
The cercle is divided into 12 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without accents.
*Diabaly
* ...
*
Ségou Cercle
Ségou Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Ségou Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Ségou.
The cercle is divided into 30 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without accents.
* Bagu ...
*
San Cercle
San Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Ségou Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of San.
The cercle is divided into 25 communes:. Names of communes are in upper-case without accents.
* Baramandoug ...
*
Tominian Cercle
Sikasso Region
*
Bougouni Cercle
*
Kolondieba Cercle
*
Kadiolo Cercle
*
Koutiala Cercle
*
Sikasso Cercle
Sikasso Cercle is one of seven administrative subdivision of the Sikasso Region of southern Mali. The capital is the town of Sikasso.
The cercle is divided into the urban commune of Sikasso and 42 rural communes:.
* Benkadi
* Blendio
* Dande ...
*
Yanfolila Cercle
*
Yorosso Cercle
Tombouctou Region
*
Diré Cercle
Diré Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Tombouctou Region of Mali. The administrative center (''chef-lieu'') is the town of Diré.
The cercle is divided into 13 communes:.
* Arham
*Binga
* Bourem Sidi Amar
* Dangha
*Diré
D ...
*
Goundam Cercle
Goundam Cercle is a second-level administrative subdivision ( cercle) of the Tombouctou Region in northern Mali. Its administrative center is the town of Goundam, although the most populous commune is Tonka. In the 2009 census, the cercle had a ...
*
Gourma-Rharous Cercle
*
Niafunke Cercle
*
Timbuktu Cercle
Timbuktu Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Tombouctou Region of Mali. It is the largest cercle by area in the whole of Mali. The capital lies at the city of Timbuktu. The cercle is divided into Rural and Urban Communes, and below thi ...
See also
*
Arrondissements of Mali
*
Regions of Mali
Since 2016, Mali has been divided into ten regions and one capital district. A reorganization of the country from eight to nineteen regions was passed into law in 2012, but of the new regions, only Taoudénit (partitioned from Tombouctou Region) a ...
References
MATCL - Ministère de l'Administration Territoriale et des Collectivités Locales government of the Republic of Mali.
Maplibrary: vector maps of national subdivisions of Mali African Development Information Services Database. Contains listing of Arrondissements under each Cercle page, as well as some Communes and places of interest in each Cercle.
Colonial usage
*Benton, Lauren: Colonial Law and Cultural Difference: Jurisdictional Politics and the Formation of the Colonial State in Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 41, No. 3 (Jul., 1999)
*Crowder, Michael: West Africa Under Colonial Rule Northwestern Univ. Press (1968) ASIN: B000NUU584
*Crowder, Michael: Indirect Rule: French and British Style Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, Vol. 34, No. 3 (Jul., 1964)
*Mortimer, Edward France and the Africans, 1944–1960, A Political History (1970)
*Jean Suret-Canele. French Colonialism in Tropical Africa 1900–1945. Trans. Pica Press (1971)
{{Mali topics
Subdivisions of Mali
Mali, Cercles
Second-level administrative divisions by country
Mali geography-related lists