Bamako, the capital and biggest city of Mali, had a population of 1,810 366 in 2009 and an estimated population of 2.71 million by 2020. It is situated on the Niger River near the rapids which divide the upper Niger valleys.

Bamako is the country’s administrative centre. The city itself is a circle in its own right. The river port of Bamako is located in Koulikoro. It also houses a major regional trading and conference centre. Bamako is the seventh largest West African urban centre after Lagos, Abidjan and Kano, Ibadan. Dakar, Dakar, Dakar and Accra. Some of the locally manufactured goods are textiles, metal goods, and mining. The Niger River is a popular place for commercial fishing.

Gao is Mali’s capital and largest city. The city is situated on the River Niger at 320 km (200 miles) east of Timbuktu, on the left bank near the junction with Tilemsi Valley.

Gao was a major commercial centre that participated in trans-Saharan trade for much of its history. External Arabic writers described Gao in the 9th century as a major regional power. By the end of the 10th century, the local ruler had been identified as a Muslim. Gao was part of the Mali Empire towards the end of the 13th century. However, in the first half of the 15th century, it regained independence through the conquests by Sunni Ali. It became the capital of the Songhai Empire.

Segou, a town and urban commune in south-central Mali, is located 235 km (146 mi) northeast of Bamako on the right bank of River Niger. It is also the capital of Segou Cercle, the Segou Region. It is Mali’s fifth-largest city, with 130,690 residents in 2009.

Segou-Koro is a village located 10 kilometres upstream from the town. It was founded in the 17th century. It became the capital of the Bambara Empire.

Timbuktu is a city in Mali located twenty kilometres (12 miles) north of the Niger River. It is the capital and administrative region of Mali’s Tombouctou Region. The 2009 census recorded that it had 54,453 inhabitants.

Timbuktu was originally a temporary settlement. It became a permanent settlement in the early 12th century. The trade-in salt and gold, ivory, and enslaved people led to a shift in the trading routes. It was annexed to the Mali Empire in the early 14th century.

Koutiala, a city located in Mali’s administrative region of Sikasso, is 140km north of Sikasso. Koutiala is the capital of its administrative Cercle. It was home to 575.253 people in 2009. According to the 2009 Census, Koutiala had 137,919 inhabitants.