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.

Gao
Cercle
Cercle of Gap in Mali
Country	Mali
Region	Gao Region
Capital	Gao
Area [1]
• Total	31,250 km^2 (12,070 sq mi)
Population  (2009 census)[2]
• Total	239,853
• Density	7.7/km^2 (20/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)

During the Northern Mali conflict in 2012, the main Tuareg rebel group, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) lost the region to the Islamist groups Ansar Dine, Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA) and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). In 2013, the Islamists then lost most of the region to French and Malian soldiers.

The cercle is divided into seven communes:[2]

• Anchawadi
• Gabero
• Gao (an urban commune)
• Gounzoureye
• N'Tillit
• Sony Aliber
• Tilemsi

References

1. Synthèsis des Plans de Securité Alimentaire des Communes du Cercle de Gao 2005-2009 (PDF) (in French), Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire, République du Mali, USAID-Mali, 2005, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-20, retrieved 2011-02-10.
2. Resultats Provisoires RGPH 2009 (Région de Gao) (PDF) (in French), République de Mali: Institut National de la Statistique, archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22.