// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Nara deer a good listener? Deer-nara.
Nara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates: 15°10′06″N 7°17′25″W / 15.168461°N 7.290154°W | |
| Country | Mali |
| Capital | Nara |
| Area | |
• Total | 31,250 km2 (12,070 sq mi) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 303,584 |
| • Density | 9.715/km2 (25.16/sq mi) |
Nara Region is an administrative region of Mali that was created from the division of Koulikoro Region in 2023. Its capital is the town of Nara.
Geography
[edit]The region is located in the south-west of the country and covers an area of 31,250 km², corresponding to 2.5% of the national territory.[1] Nara Region borders three Malian regions (Nioro, Koulikoro, Ségou) and Mauritania to the north. Its relief consists of an extensive sandy plain with a Sahelian climate and annual rainfall between 200 and 600 mm. Most of the region lies within the drainage basin of the Senegal River. There are no permanent watercourses in the region, but there are many ponds. These store rainwater for between three and ten months and are used for watering livestock, vegetable cultivation and traditional fish farming.
History
[edit]Nara Cercle belonged to Koulikoro Region until 2023. Its elevation to a separate region had already been decided in 2012, but due to the poor security situation in the country and political factors, it could only be implemented in 2023 through the adoption of Law No. 2023-006.[2]
Administrative divisions
[edit]The region is divided into six cercles.[3][4]
| Cercle code | Cercle | Communes |
|---|---|---|
| 1401 | Nara | 3 |
| 1402 | Ballé | 3 |
| 1403 | Dilly | 2 |
| 1404 | Mourdiah | 2 |
| 1405 | Guiré | 2 |
| 1406 | Fallou | 2 |
Population
[edit]In 2023, the population was estimated at 303,584, based on the census carried out the previous year.[1] The Nara Region is the fourth least populated region in Mali, with around 307,777 inhabitants in 2022.[6]
With a total fertility rate at 5.7 births per woman, Nara has a slightly lower TFR than the Malian national average of 6.1 births per woman.[7]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 166,783 |
| 2009 | 241,904 |
| 2023 | 303,584 |
Ethnicity
[edit]The Nara Region is ethnically diverse, with Mandé peoples accounting for just under two-thirds of the population. Nara is one of three Malian regions, the others being Kayes and Nioro, where the Soninke people represent the single largest ethnic group. The Fula, Bambara, Arabs (Maure), and Malinké also have a significant presence in the region.[5]
Religion
[edit]The 2022 census found that 99.65% of the population in Nara was Muslim, 0.19% was Christian, 0.15% identified with traditional faiths, and 0.01% had no religion. Islam is the dominant religion among all of Nara's main ethnic groups, with the Soninke, Fula, Arab, and Malinké peoples being almost entirely Muslim.[5]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Mali: Regions, Cities & Urban Localities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ↑ "Loi n°2023-006 du 13 mars 2023 portant création des circonscriptions administratives en République du Mali" [New Administrative Division of Mali] (PDF) (in French). République du Mali. 13 March 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ↑ "Mali - Subnational Administrative Boundaries" (XLSX; GeoJSON; Shape; GDB). The Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) - OCHA Global Subnational Administrative Boundaries. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Field Information Services Section (FISS), Geneva, Switzerland. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
- ↑ "Projet de loi portant création des circonscriptions administratives au Mali" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT) (December 2024). "RAPPORT D'ANALYSE DES DONNEES DU RGPH5 THÈME : CARACTERISTIQUES CULTURELLES DE LA POPULATION". Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT) (December 2024). "CINQUIEME RECENSEMENT GENERAL DE LA POPULATION ET DE L'HABITAT (RGPH5)" (PDF). Retrieved 8 June 2026.
- ↑ Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT) (December 2024). "RAPPORT D'ANALYSE DES DONNEES DU RGPH5 THÈME : NATALITE ET FECONDITE (RGPH5)". Retrieved 13 June 2026.
