# Bamako

> capital of Mali

**Wikidata**: [Q3703](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3703)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamako)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bamako

## Summary
Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali, serving as the nation's political and administrative center. Classified as a large human settlement and a first-level administrative division, it is located on the Niger River and has a population exceeding 4 million people as of 2023.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Bamako is a city and a first-level administrative division within the country of Mali.
- **Population**: The population has grown from 422,756 (1976 census) to a preferred value of 4,227,569 in 2023, with intermediate census figures of 658,275 (1987), 1,016,167 (1998), and 1,810,366 (2009).
- **Geography**: The city covers an area of 245 square kilometers and sits at an elevation of 350 meters above sea level.
- **Location**: It is located at coordinates 12.645833333333 latitude and -7.9922222222222 longitude, situated next to the Niger River.
- **Time Zone**: Bamako operates on UTC±00:00.
- **Governance**: The head of government is Adama Sangaré, having started his term on July 6, 2007.
- **Administrative Divisions**: The city contains the administrative territorial entities Commune 2, Commune IV, Commune 5, and Commune 6.
- **Capital Status**: It is the capital of Mali, the historical region of French Sudan, and the district of Bamako.
- **Codes**: The ISO 3166-2 code is ML-BKO, the UN/LOCODE is MLBKO, and the FIPS 10-4 code is ML01.
- **Languages**: Languages used in the city include Bamako Sign Language, Kita Maninka, and Eastern Maninkaka.
- **Twin Cities**: Bamako has twinning relationships with Rochester (since 1975), Angers (since 1974), Maubeuge, Dakar, Bordeaux (since 1999), Bobo-Dioulasso, Leipzig, Ashgabat, São Paulo (since 2000), Banjul, and Nouakchott.
- **Demographic Term**: Residents are known as Bamakoans.
- **Native Labels**: The city is referred to natively as ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ and 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮.

## FAQs
**Where is Bamako located?**
Bamako is situated in Mali, specifically located in or next to the Niger River. Its geographic coordinates are 12.645833333333, -7.9922222222222, and it lies at an elevation of 350 meters above sea level.

**What is the population of Bamako?**
The city has seen significant growth, recording 422,756 residents in 1976, 1,810,366 in 2009, and reaching a population of 4,227,569 according to 2023 data.

**Who governs Bamako?**
Adama Sangaré serves as the head of government, a position held since July 6, 2007. The city is the capital of Mali and is divided into administrative entities including Commune 2, Commune IV, Commune 5, and Commune 6.

**What are Bamako's sister cities?**
Bamako maintains partnerships with numerous international cities, including Rochester (1975), Angers (1974), Bordeaux (1999), São Paulo (2000), as well as Maubeuge, Dakar, Bobo-Dioulasso, Leipzig, Ashgabat, Banjul, and Nouakchott.

**What languages are spoken in Bamako?**
In addition to the official languages of the region, the city utilizes Bamako Sign Language, Kita Maninka, and Eastern Maninkaka.

## Why It Matters
Bamako serves as the critical political and administrative heart of Mali, functioning not only as the national capital but also as the capital of the historical French Sudan. Its rapid population growth, expanding from roughly 400,000 in the 1970s to over 4 million today, highlights its status as a primary demographic and economic hub in the region. The city's extensive network of international twin cities reflects its significant diplomatic and cultural connections across Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America.

## Notable For
- **Rapid Urbanization**: Experiencing massive population growth, increasing nearly tenfold between 1976 and 2023.
- **Historical Capitality**: Served as the capital of French Sudan in addition to being the current capital of Mali.
- **Linguistic Diversity**: Recognized for the use of specific language varieties including Bamako Sign Language and Eastern Maninkaka.
- **Global Encyclopedic Recognition**: The subject of entries in the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Encyclopædia Britannica, and the Encyclopaedia Universalis.
- **Administrative Structure**: Distinct for containing specific numbered communes (2, IV, 5, 6) within its governance model.

## Body

### Geography and Location
Bamako is a large human settlement and a first-level administrative division located in Mali. It encompasses a total area of 245 square kilometers. The city is positioned at a latitude of 12.645833333333 and a longitude of -7.9922222222222, with an elevation of 350 meters above sea level. Geographically, it is situated adjacent to the Niger River, a key body of water for the region. The city operates within the UTC±00:00 timezone.

### Demographics and Population
The city has experienced substantial demographic shifts over the decades. According to census data:
- In 1976, the population was recorded at 422,756.
- By 1987, this figure had risen to 658,275.
- The 1998 census reported a population of 1,016,167.
- In 2009, the population reached 1,810,366.
- The most recent data from 2023 indicates a population of 4,227,569.
Residents of the city are referred to by the demonym "Bamakoan."

### Governance and Administration
As the capital of Mali, Bamako holds the highest administrative significance in the country. It also historically served as the capital of French Sudan. The local government is headed by Adama Sangaré, who has held the position of head of government since July 6, 2007. Administratively, the city is subdivided into several entities, specifically containing Commune 2, Commune IV, Commune 5, and Commune 6. For international and regional identification, Bamako is assigned the ISO 3166-2 code ML-BKO, the UN/LOCODE MLBKO, and the FIPS 10-4 code ML01.

### Culture and Language
The city possesses a distinct cultural identity reflected in its native labels, ߓߡߊ߬ߞߐ߬ and 𞤄𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤳𞤮. Linguistically, the population utilizes Bamako Sign Language, Kita Maninka, and Eastern Maninkaka.

### International Relations
Bamako maintains a global presence through a wide array of twinning agreements with cities worldwide. These partnerships include:
- Rochester, United States (established 1975)
- Angers, France (established 1974)
- Maubeuge, France
- Dakar, Senegal
- Bordeaux, France (established 1999)
- Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- Leipzig, Germany
- Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
- São Paulo, Brazil (established 2000)
- Banjul, Gambia
- Nouakchott, Mauritania

### External Identifiers and References
Bamako is cataloged in numerous global databases and encyclopedic resources, ensuring its recognition across various platforms.
- **Identifiers**: GND ID (4086612-9), VIAF ID (130355178), GeoNames ID (2460594), MusicBrainz area ID (acc5a33c-4f3f-4f3a-8d7c-5d8ce6afe364), and Library of Congress authority ID (n50077818).
- **Encyclopedic Sources**: It is described by sources such as the Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, the Small Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947), the Encyclopædia Britannica Online, and the Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana.
- **Online Presence**: The city maintains an official website at https://bamako.ml/ and has a significant digital footprint across platforms including Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and OpenStreetMap.

## References

1. archINFORM
2. [Source](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:code:3166:ML)
3. [Source](https://www.cityofrochester.gov/article.aspx?id=8589950583)
4. [Source](http://www.bordeaux.fr/ebx/LinkResolverServlet?classofcontent=presentationStandard&id=5522)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. [Source](https://github.com/JohnMarkOckerbloom/ftl/blob/master/data/wikimap)
7. BnF authorities
8. MusicBrainz
9. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
10. Czech National Authority Database
11. FIPS 10-4
12. [Source](https://citypopulation.de/en/mali/cities/)
13. [Source](https://www.instat-mali.org/laravel-filemanager/files/shares/rgph/adem76_rgph.pdf)
14. Flickr Shapefiles Public Dataset 2.0
15. GeoNames
16. BBC Things
17. [Source](https://service.unece.org/trade/locode/ml.htm)
18. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
19. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
20. [Source](https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/bamako)
21. museum-digital