 | This article needs to beupdated. The reason given is: It lists the wrong number of regions, and may list the wrong number of cercles too. There are no references since 2 new regions were created in 2016.. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2023) |
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Acercle is the second-level administrative unit inMali. Mali is divided into eightrégions and one capital district (Bamako); therégions are subdivided into 49cercles. These subdivisions bear the name of their principal city.
DuringFrench colonial rule inMali, a cercle was the smallest unit of French political administration that was headed by aEuropean officer. A cercle consisted of several cantons, each of which in turn consisted of several villages. In 1887, the Cercle ofBafoulabé was the first cercle to be created in Mali. In most of formerFrench West Africa, the termcercle was changed toprefecture ordepartment after independence, but this was not done in Mali.
Some cercles (and the district) were, prior to the 1999 local government reorganisation, further divided intoarrondissements, especially in urban areas or the vast northern regions (such asKidal), 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 inquartiers (quarters, or villages and encampments in rural areas) which have elected councils at each level.[1] There are 703communes, 36urban communes (including six in Bamako District) and 667rural communes.[2] The cercles are listed below.
